14 Masomeen Sayings / Speeches / Sermons of 14 Infallibles / Infallible and Ahlal Bait a.s : Says08

Golden Sayings & Speeches of Hazrat Imam Jaffar Sadiq a.s .

Asalamoalaka ya Hazrat Imam Jaffar Sadiq a.s.

* Imam al-Sadeq (as) states, "The sigh of the sorrowful for the wrong done us is an act of worship", and, "Anyone who remembers us, or, if we are mentioned in his presence, and a tear as small as the wing of a gnat falls from his eye, God would forgive all his sins. . ." Imam Hussein (as), has himself said, "I am the martyr of tears, no man of faith remembers me but that he weeps."
* It is reported from al-Sadiq Jafer b. Muhammad, peace be on him, that he said: Visiting the grave of al-Husayn, peace be on him, is equal to a hundred acceptable pilgrimages and a hundred acceptable lesser pilgrimages ('umra). The Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, said: Whoever visits the grave of al-Husayn, peace be on him, after the latter's death, will have heaven (as his reward).
* On another occasion, the poet Ja'far ibne Iffaan recited to our Imam al-Sadiq a poem on the tragedy of Kerbala. The Imam began to weep uncontrollably. He then addressed the poet in the following terms:
"O Iffaan, do not think that it is only those whom you can see here are listening to your poetry. In fact Allah's closest angels are present here at this majlis and they are all listening to your recitation and they too lament and weep. May Allah bless you for what you have recited. He will, inshallah, reward you with paradise for your efforts on our behalf."
* It is reported that al-Fudhayl Ibne Yasaar came to pay his respects to the Imam Ja’far Sadiq (A.S.) After the exchange of usual courtesies, Imam asked al-Fudhayl: "Do you people ever organise majaalis to recall the martyrdom of Imam Hussain?" Al-Fudhayl, with tears pouring down his eyes, replied: "Yabna Rasulillah, indeed we do." The Imam said: "May Allah bless you. I highly approve of such majaalis."
* Someone asked Imam Sadiq (as): Oh grandson of the Holy Prophet (pbuh) Imam Hussein (as) died on the 10th of Muharram, so why do you cry for him from the 1st? The Imam answered: When the new moon of Muharram is born, the angels spread (hang out) the shirt of Imam Hussein (as), the shirt is ripped and torn by swords and besmeared with his precious blood……… for this reason we cry for Hussein!
* Every Mo-min who remains patient while in trouble gets the rewards of a thousand martyrs.
* One day Abu Hanifa was teaching at the college. Bahlool was sitting in a corner, listening to Abu Hanifa's lesson. In the middle of his lesson, Abu Hanifa said that, "Imam Jafar Sadiq says three things that I don't agree with.

These are: Firstly, he says Shaitan will be punished in the Hell-fire. Since Shaitan is made of fire, then how is it possible that fire can hurt him? One kind of thing can't get hurt from the same kind of thing. Secondly, he says that we can't see Allah; but something that is present must also be able to be seen. Therefore, Allah can be seen by our eyes. Thirdly, he says that whoever does something is himself responsible for it; and will be questioned about it because he did it himself; but evidence is against this. Meaning, whatever a person does is done by Allah and the person has no control over what he does."

As soon as Abu Hanifa said this, Bahlool picked up a clod of earth and threw it at him. It hit his forehead and gave him severe pain. Then Bohlool ran away. Abu Hanifa's students ran after Bohlool and caught him. Since Bahlool was related to the Khalifa, they took him to the Khalifa and narrated the whole incident.

Bahlool said, "Call Abu Hanifa so that I can give him my answer."

Abu Hanifa was called and Bahlool said to him, "What wrong have I done to you?"

"You hit my forehead with a clod of earth. My forehead and head are in severe pain."

"Can you show me your pain?"

"Can pain be seen?"

Bahlool replied, "You yourself say that every present thing can be seen and you criticize Imam Jafar Sadiq by saying how is it possible that Allah is present, but invisible. Secondly, you wrongly claim that the clod of earth pains your head; because the clod of earth is made of mud and you were also created from mud. Then how can one kind of thing hurt the same type of substance? Thirdly, you yourself said that all acts are done by Allah. Then how can you say that I am guilty, present me to the Khalifa, complain about me, and demand punishment for me!"

Abu Hanifa listened to Bahlool's intelligent answers and shamefully left Haroun's court.
* It's been narrated from Isaac Ibn Ammar that Imam Sadiq (A.S.) said: O Isaac, everyone who circumambulates God's House one time, God writes down 1000 good deeds for him, vanishes 1000 of his sins, gives him 1000 rewards, plants 1000 trees fro him in Paradise, gives him mercifully the recompense for delivering 1000 slaves. When he reaches "Moltazem", 8 doors of Heaven open and he is told: "Enter whichever door you wish" .Isaac said: "I said to Imam that all of those are for a person who just circumambulates God's House"? Imam stated: "Yes. Wouldn't I teach you a bigger recompense? "I said: "Please, teach me. "He said: "Everyone who does something for his faithful brothers, God will give him the recompense of 10 circumambulations."
* Imam Sadiq (A.S.) said: The most favorable place for prayer to God Almighty is Saay. (That is a holy place in Makkah). Because there every stubborn and proud person becomes meek.

* Imam Sadiq (A.S.) said to Ibn-Abi-Yafour: Pray very much in the Prophet's mosque, for praying in this mosque is equal to same 1000 prayers in other mosques, except Masjid-al-Haram that same prayers in this mosque is equal to same 1000 prayers in the Prophet's mosque.

* Imam Sadiq (A.S.) said: Someone who visits a Hajj pilgrim and shakes hands with him, it is as if he has touched the Hajar-ol-Asvad.

* Imam Sadiq (A.S.) says regarding " Ramye- Jamarat " : With every stone that a Haji throws at Jamarat, a big fatal sin is vanished from his soul.

* Imam Sadiq (A.S.) says: As one of you perform Hajj and finish it with the pilgrimage to Madinah, that pilgrimage is the sign of Hajj's completion.

* Imam Sadiq (A.S.) says: Religion will be living so long as Kaaba is living.

* Imam Sadiq (A.S.) says: People who do Hajj and Umrah are justified to God. God will grant them whatever they have asked. If they pray he will accept, if they intercede, He will accept and if they remain silent, He himself begins to give them generously His favor and He grants them and instead of each dirham, He will grant them thousands of dirhams.

* Imam Sadiq (A.S.) says: Hajis who return from God's House appear in three categories: One group are those who are free from fire of Hell. One group who are purified of their sins as if they are born again. The third group are the people who come back with the guarantee of their families and properties, and this is the least a Haji enjoys.

* Imam Sadiq (A.S.) says: When you decide to go to Hajj, free your heart from anything that may keep you away from God.

* Imam Sadiq (A.S.) says: As long as a person is looking at Kaaba he will receive rewards and his sins are forgiven.

* Imam Sadiq (A.S.) says: God has provided 120 types of blessings around Kaaba, 60 of these blessings will be given to circumambulators, 40 of them will be given to prayers and 20 of these blessings will be for people who look at Kaaba. Regarding settlement in Arafat Imam Baqir (A.S.) says: None of good and wicked people would settle on the Arafat's mountain unless God accepts their prayers ; the chaste benediction for the mundane and afterlife matters will be accepted but the wicked prayers will be accepted just for their mundane matters.

* A man asked Imam Sadiq (A.S.) in Masjid- ul- Haram: Who commits the greatest sins?

Imam said: "Someone who settles in Arafat and Mashar, and he does the ceremony of Saay between the mountains of Safa and Marveh, and circumambulates around the God's House, then he prays at the back of the Maghame Ibrahim (A.S.) but doubts whether God forgives him or not. This person commits the greatest sin.

* Imam Sadiq (A.S.) says: Haji will have the light and mien of Hajj as long as he has not committed a sin.

* Imam Sadiq (A.S.) says : Frequenting between Safa and Marwah is a means to underestimate a tyrants.

* Imam Sadiq (A.S.) says: Looking at Kaaba is an act of worship.

* Imam Sadiq (A.S.) says: If people abandon Hajj of this House, they will be immediately punished.

* Imam Sadiq (A.S.) says: Entering Kaaba is like entering into God's Mercy.

* Imam Sadiq (A.S.) said: God is the guarantor of someone going to Hajj. If God wants him to be alive, he will come back to his family and if God gets his life, he will enter the Paradise.

* Imam Sadiq (A.S.) says: When a Haji enters Makkah, God puts two angels for him to keep his prayer, Saay and circumambulation, When he stands in the Arafah, they beat on his right shoulder and say: " Don't worry for the past, see what you will be in future.

* Imam Sadiq (A.S.) says: One Hajj is better than the world and everything that is in it and an obligatory prayer is better than 1000 Hajjs.

* Imam Sadiq (A.S.) says: No act is better than the Hajj except for Jihad and martyrdom in the way of God.

* Imam Sadiq (A.S.) says: There is nothing better than Hajj but the daily prayer.

* Imam Sadiq (A.S.) says : Saying an obligatory prayer is better than going to Hajj for 20 times and going to Hajj is better than a House, full of gold which is given away as donation and alms.

* Imam Sadiq (A.S.) says: One Hajj is better than releasing 70 slaves.

* Imam Sadiq (A.S.) says : A Haji never becomes poor.

* Imam Sadiq (A.S.) says: If someone can afford Hajj but he postpones it without any logical excuse until he dies, he has violated one of Islam's injunctions.

* Imam Sadiq (A.S.) says : No one will be deprived of Hajj rituals unless because of a sin, and this is under conditions when God forgives most sins.

* Imam Sadiq (A.S.) said to Isa, the son of Abi Mansour: O Isa, if you can eat bread and salt and go to Hajj, do it.

* Imam Sadiq (A.S.) said: If someone performs Hajj twice, he will be in mercy and blessing as long as he is alive.

* Imam Sadiq (A.S.) says: Someone who goes to Hajj for three times, he never becomes poor.

* Imam Sadiq (A.S.) says: Someone who goes to Hajj for ten times, God will forgive all his sins.

* Imam Sadiq (A.S.) says: In every month of the year people can go to perform Umrah, but the best month is Rajab. (The 7th lunar month).

* Imam Sadiq (A.S.): No place is more favored by God except the place of running (Masaa) because there is where any selfish or cruel person will be humiliated and disrespected.

* Imam Sadiq (A.S.) says: To God Makkah is the most favorite place.

* Imam Sadiq (A.S.) says: Nothing but daily prayers is better than Hajj.

* Imam Sadiq (A.S.) says: When people rest in Mina, a proclaimer on behalf of God proclaims that, if you wish my satisfaction, I am satisfied.

* Imam Sadiq (A.S.) says: God likes serving food and sacrificing of sheep in Mina.

* Imam Sadiq (A.S.) says: When a faithful man shaves all his hair in Mina and buries it. In the resurrection day, every hair will recall its owner's name.

* Imam Sadiq (A.S.): If someone goes to the pilgrimage of God's home with religiously prohibited money, and says,"Oh my Lord, I 'm here (Labake) (In return) he'll /she'll hear: No, you are not here and no you are not worthy. And if someone goes to the pilgrimage of God's home with religiously legitimate money will hear: You are here and you are worthy.

* Imam Sadiq (A.S.): There are two kinds of Hajj: Doing the duties of Hajj for God and doing the duties of Hajj for people, whoever goes to Hajj for God, is rewarded with heaven, and whoever goes to Hajj because of people, on the Judgment Day, his / her reward will be given to those people.

* Imam Sadiq (A.S.): Whoever dies on the way to Makkah or coming back from Makkah will be rid of fright, fear, and nervousness on the Judgment Day.

* Imam Sadiq (A.S.): Whoever dies while wearing the pilgrimage's garb, will later rise saying I'm here (Labake)

* Imam Sadiq (A.S.): Regarding the verse (And whoever reaches there is safe) said, Any human that enters the Holy Shrine and turns to it is safe from God's anger and if any kind of animal or bird enters, they should not be annoyed or forced out until it has left the Shrine itself.

* Imam Sadiq (A.S.): People lose their Imam but his Excellency is present in the Hajj ceremonies and sees people, but people don't see him

* Imam Sadiq (A.S.): I've never seen anything remove and replace poverty with wealth as fast as continuously going to the pilgrimage of God's home.

* Abdur Rahman the son of Kosair: I went to Hajj with Imam Sadiq (A.S.) and on the way; his excellency went on a high mountain and looked at people from up there and said: There's so much commotion and so little Hajis.

* Imam Sadiq (A.S.) says: The major Hajj is day of sacrifice.

* Also, Imam Jaffer Sadiq (a.s.) says: Modesty is the symbol of faith and whoever has no modesty (Hijab), has no religion.

* Imam Sadiq (A.S.) in answer to Hesham the son of Hekam 's question about the reason of achieving the Hajj ceremony and circumambulating the Kaaba, replied: God created humans, and commanded them to obey the religion and what's best for them in this world and placed Hajj to join his people from the east and west of the world (and so that they get to know what each other are up to) and so that the merchants that take goods from town to town would profit. And so that leaders and the camel keepers would gain something as well. And also so that the God's Messenger's traces would be known and his words would not be forgotten. If every tribe or person were to settle in his / her own city or land, they would banish, and their cities would be destroyed, they would have a financial decrease, and everything would be kept silent, this is the true reason of Hajj.

* The mother of Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq (a.s.) is Fatimah[1], the daughter of al-Qasim bin Muhammad bin Abi-Bakr. That is why Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq (a.s.) said: "Abu-Bakr begot me twice."

1) FATIMA: Imam al-Sadiq quoting his father said, “The Messenger of Allah said: O Fatima, do you know why you have been given the name Fatima?”. Imam Ali Said: Why was she named Fatima?”. The Prophet replied: Because she and her followers (Shiites) are protected from the fires of hell.”
2) ZAHRA: She is called al-Zahra because as Ibn Abbas narrates that the Prophet of Allah said: “Surely my daughter Fatima is the Mistress of all women from the beginning to the end. She is part of me, and the light my eyes. She is the flower of my heart, and is my soul. Fatima is a human huri, who whenever she stands in prayers in the presence of her Lord (Exalted is his name), her light illuminates the skies for the angels, like stars shine to people on Earth.”
3) TAHIRA: She is al-Tahira because Allah revealed in the Quran the “Ayah of Purification”, “And Allah only wished to remove all abomination from you, oh members of the family, and to make you pure and spotless.”(33:33)
4) MARDHIYA: She achieved this name and rank through her good deeds that pleased Allah and made him well satisfied with her. “Return to your Lord, well-pleased (with him), well-pleasing (Him)
5) SIDDIQA: The Arabic word ‘sidq’ means truth. Fatima was al-sidiqqa because she was a truth-teller. She never lied. Her deeds comformed to her words. She never lied because she was used to truthfulness. She believed in the commands of Allah and his Prophet, without doubting at all.
6) BATOOL: Fatima was purified in the verse of purification, (33:33). This meant that she was not only pure from sins but she was also cleansed from impurities like childbirth bleeding and menstruation. It is narrated that Asma bint Umais said: “When Fatima gave birth to al-Hassan, she did not bleed. She also does not have menstruation bleeds. When I informed the Prophet of Allah of this, he said: Don’t you know that my daughter is chaste. She does not discharge blood as a result of childbirth or menstruation.”
7) ZAKIYA: Fatima was pure and free from all sins so for that reason she is called al-Zakiya.
8) ATHRA’A: She was named al-Adra’a because Fatima never lost her virginity. The Prophet said, My daughter Fatima is a female huri.”
Explaining this Imam al-Sadiq said, “Because (huris) are created from pure goodness where no bligh can alter them, nor does senility inflict them…menstruation does not pollute them.”
9) MUBARAKAH: She was named al-Mubarakah because abundant blessings came from her. The most important was the blessing of eleven Imams whom she is the mother of.

* Masudi, the famous historian, wrote one of the most important sayings of Imam Sadiq (AS) ascribed through Imam Ali (AS) who is said to have related that when God wished to establish the creation, the atoms of creatures and the beginning of all created things, He first made what he created in the form of small particles. This was before the earth and the heavens were created. God existed alone in His authority and power. So He cast forth a ray of light, a flame from His splendour and it was radiant. He scattered this light in the midst of invisible atoms, which He then united in the form of our Prophet. God most high then declared unto him,“you are the first of those who shall speak, the one with power of choice and the one chosen. To you I have trusted my light and the treasure of my guidance. For your sake I will form spacious channels, give free course to the waters, and raise the heavens. For your sake I will give rewards and punishments, and assign men to Paradise or to the Fire.I will appoint the people of your household (Ahlulbayt) for guidance. I will bestow upon them the secrets of my knowledge. No truth will be hidden from them and no mystery concealed. I will designate them as my proof to mankind, as those who shall admonish men of my power and remind them of my Unity (Tawheed)”. “ The light descended,” the Imam Ja’afar continued, “upon our most noble men, and shown through our Imams, so that we are in fact the light of Heaven and of Earth. To us is salvation committed, and from us are the secrets of science derived, for we are the destination that all must strive to reach. Our Mehdi will be the final proof, the seal of the Imams, the Deliverer of the Imamat, the Apex of the Light, and the Source of all good work. Those who follow us will have our support in the hereafter.”
* One day our 6th Imam, Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (A) was sitting with a group of friends eating some grapes, when a man came and asked Imam (A) for help.

* Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (A) gave the man a bunch of grapes. The man did not take the grapes and asked Imam (A) for money.

* Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (A) told the man that Allah would give him that. The man started to walk away then came back and asked for the grapes. Imam (A) told him that Allah would give him that.

* A little while latter another poor man came and asked Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (A) for help. Imam (A) gave him a bunch of grapes. The man took them and thanked Allah.

* Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (A) then gave the man some money again the man thanked Allah. Imam (A) then gave the man his shirt, who took it and went away praying for Imam (A).

* If the man had continued thanking Allah for what Imam (A) was giving him, then Imam (A) would have continued giving until he had nothing left to give.
Moral: Whenever you get anything remember that although it may be from someone, Allah has wished for you to have it. So not only should you thank the person who has given it to you (Jazakallah) but also thank Allah (Alhamdulillah).
* He, peace be on him, used to say: "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."
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).
* He, peace be on him, used to say: "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."
* Abdullah Ibn Fazl says: "I said to Imam Sadiq (A.S.) that I have too many debts, I have a big family and I can't afford the Hajj costs. Teach me a prayer. Imam stated: Say after each obligatory prayer: "May the blessings of Allah be upon Muhammad (S.A.W.) and his progeny, and pay my debts in this world and the hereafter."

I said to him, "I know what the worldly debts are but what are the debts of the hereafter?"

He said: "Hajj". The prophet of God (S.A.W.) looked at the strings of camels taking Hajis to the pilgrimage of God's House and said: They don't take steps unless it is taken as a good deed, they don't take steps unless it vanishes a sin of them. And when they finish their ceremony of Hajj, they will be told: "You have made a building, don't destroy it. Your sins are forgiven. From now on, do good deeds."

* Imam Sadiq (A.S.) said: The best ways to pray God include silence and going to His House.

Seven miracles

(Hadiqatush Shiia by: Moqaddas Ardbeli)

Muhammad bin Kufi has reported from (Hazrat) Imam Jafar e Sadiq (AS) that seven men will demand miracle from my son (Hazrat) Sahibul Amr (ATF):

First Miracle:

A man will demand miracle of (Hazrat) Ilyas prophet (AS) “Mavra un nahr”, and Imam (ATF), reciting “Wa man yatawakkal alallah fa howa hasbuh” will go from one edge to the other over the water of Dajlah, and even socks will not get wet. The man, seeing this will say he (ATF) is magician, and will deny the miracle. Imam (ATF) will speak to the water and will say it to drown the man. And he will flounce with restlessness for seven days in the water and will remain alive, and will cry that this is the requital of denying Imam e Zamanah (ATF).

Second Miracle:

An Isfahani will demand from Imam (ATF) the miracle of (Hazrat) Khalil prophet (AS). He (ATF) will order to kindle a great fire, and will enter the fire reciting “Fa subhan allazi beyadehi malakoot kulla shaye wa ilaihay turjaoon”, and will come out of it safely. That reprobate will say he (ATF) is a great magician. Imam (ATF) will order the fire to catch him (the man); the fire will push him towards it. And he will be ruined saying this is the requital of denying Imam e Zamanah (ATF) – the Imam of Era.

Third Miracle:

A man from Faris, when he will see the staff of (Hazrat) Moses (AS) in (Imam Mahdi ATF)’s hand, will demand the miracle of (Hazrat) Moses (AS) from Imam (ATF). Imam (ATF), reciting “wa alqe Asaak fa eza hiya su’banum mubeen”, will throw the staff on the earth and it will become a dragon. That reprobate will say “its strange magic”. Imam (ATF) will order the dragon to swallow the man. The dragon will swallow him, and his head and neck will remain outside (the dragon) from which a voice will come “this is the requital of describing the miracle as a magic and denying Imam e Zamanah (ATF) – the Imam of Era.”

Fourth Miracle:

A man from Azerbaijan will say to imam (ATF) that if you are Imam then order this bone to speak, and show the miracle of (Hazrat) Khizr (AS). Imam (ATF) will pray and the bone will speak: “O’ the Imam of era, pray for my forgiveness”. But that man (reprobate) will say this is an open magic. He will be executed, and he will remain saying, “this is the requital of denying Imam e Zamanah (ATF) – the Imam of Era.”

Fifth Miracle:

A man from Amman will say that iron becomes soft in the hand of (Hazrat) Daoud prophet (AS). If the iron becomes soft in your hand as well I will acknowledge your imamate. Imam (ATF), taking iron in his hand will soften it but the man will deny. He will be killed saying, “This is the requital of denying true Imam (ATF),” by that very iron.

Sixth Miracle:

A man will say to Imam (ATF) arrogantly and boastfully that the knife was not proved effective on the throat of (Hazrat) Ismail (AS), I consider it a miracle of (Hazrat) Ibrahim (AS). Show this miracle. Imam (ATF) will say to him move knife on the throat of so and so. Therefore, the man will move the knife and it will not effective. Even this he will say its a magic. The knife, moving itself on the man’s throat, will kill him.

Seventh Miracle:

An Arab will demand from Imam (ATF) the miracle of his (Imam’s) grandfather Hazrat Muhammad (SAWW). Imam will call a lion and get it bear the witness of his imamate but even then that Arab will deny. Imam (ATF) will order the lion to swallow the Arab. Therefore, he, saying, “This is the requital of denying true Imam (ATF),” will reach in the stomach of the lion.
* The pilgrims had assembled in Mina. Imam Sadiq (a.s.) and his companions sitting in a place were eating some grapes placed before them.
A beggar appeared and asked for alms. The Imam took some grapes to give him, but he refused to accept it and asked for money. Imam told him to excuse him as he did not have money. The beggar went away disappointed.
After going a few steps he had second thoughts came back and asked for the same grapes. The Imam now refused to give him those grapes too.
Soon after, another beggar appeared. The Imam again took some grapes and gave to him. He accepted it and said, "Thanks to the Lord of universe who gave me my sustenance". On hearing these words, the Imam told him to wait and gave him two handfuls of grapes.
The beggar thanked God for the second time.
The Imam again told him to wait and then turning to one of his friends and asked, "How much money is with you?" The man searched his pockets and produced nearly twenty Dirham which he gave to the beggar at he order of the Imam.
The beggar thanking God for the third time said, "Thanks are exclusive to God. O God! Thou art the Bestower of the good, and thou hast no companion." On hearing these words, the Imam took off his garment and gave it to the beggar.
Now, the beggar changed his tone and spoke a few words of thanks to the Imam himself. Then the Imam did not give anything and he went away.
His friends and companions who were present there said, "We thought that had the beggar continued thanking God in he same manner as before, the Imam would have continued giving him more and more. But when he changed his words and praised and thanked the Imam himself, the Imam did not continue his assistance."
* Imam Jafar e Sadiq (as) had expressed surprise ,that why when in need Momins DO NOT use the 4 SIMPLE EFFECTIVE DUAS AVAILABLE TO THEM .These are quranic ayats ,immediately(fa) after these ayats follows that ayat which is the solution for the problem so we recite only the previous part of the ayat.(ie the transliterated part)

1. To overcome fear of Authority/ruler
”Wa Ufawwizu Amree ilallaah inallaaha baseerun bil ibad” (Ch. Al-Ghafir, or Mu’min (40), vs. 44)
So you shall remember what I say to you, and I entrust my affair to Allah, Surely Allah sees the servants.

2. For Rizq (sustenance)
”Mashaallahu laa Quwwata illa billah" (Ch. Al-Kahf (18), vs. 39)
And wherefore did you not say when you entered your garden: It is as Allah has pleased, there is no power save in Allah? If you consider me to be inferior to you in wealth and children

3. For Sorrows/sufferings
La ila ha illa anta subhanaka inni kuntu minazzalimeen(Ch. Al-Anbiya (21): vs. 87)
And Yunus, when he went away in wrath, so he thought that We would not straiten him, so he called out among afflictions: There is no god but Thou, glory be to Thee; surely I am of those who make themselves to suffer loss.

4. Other issues/Needs
Hasbunallah wa ni'mal wakeel(Ch. Aale I’mraan (3), vs. 173)
Those to whom the people said: Surely men have gathered against you, therefore fear them, but this increased their faith, and they said: Allah is sufficient for us and most excellent is the Protector.

* Hazrat Imam Jafar Sadiq a.s said , Whoever pays a visit to Imam Raza a.s , it is as if he paid a visit to the Apostle of God .

* 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.

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

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

* Twenty-day-friendship is a relationship.

* Whoever honors you honor him, and whoever scorns you honor yourself from him.

* Justice is sweeter than the water the thirsty (person) have.

* The most perfect of men in intellect is the best of them in ethics.

* Intellect is the pillar of man, and the guide of the believer.

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

* Three (things) cause hatred: hypocrisy, self-admiration, and oppression.

* If you want that you are honored, then be soft.

* Whoever attacks a matter without knowledge cuts off his own nose.

* Whoever requests leadership perishes.

* Verily, knowledge is a lock and its key is the question.

* If you are not patient, then pretend to be patient.

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

* Imam Sadiq (a.s.) said: Allah hates two types of fame: fame for the way you dress, and fame for praying.

* Imam Sadiq (a.s.) said: Fame whether good or evil results in Fire.

* Imam Sadiq (a.s.) said: Whoever appears in public adorned with what Allah likes, but appears in front of Allah adorned with what Allah dislikes will meet Allah when Allah is angry with him.

* The smallest thing which turns a man out of faith (renders him faithless) is that he keeps counting the faults, lapses, missteps, and fauxes of his brother in faith so that one day he may reprimand him (by those weaknesses).

* It is from the disposition and manners of the ignorant that he answers before listening, and quarrels before understanding and gives judgment upon what he is unaware of.

* The person who acts and practices short of vision is similar to the traverse and traveler of a wrong avenue.

* So the speed of his journey would not but only increase his distance (from the destination).

The most beloved of the brothers to me is the one who presents and indicates to me my faults and shortcomings.
It is required for the faithful to have eight qualities in him:
1.Being gracious during hardship and calamities.
2.Being patient in wake of affliction.
3.Being thankful at the time of comfort and abundance.
4.Being contented with sustenance granted by Allah.
5.Not committing excess and aggression upon enemies.
6.Not loading his own load (responsibilities) upon the shoulders of his friends.
7.His body remains troubled by him (due to services).
8.And the people remain comfortable and at ease from him. (He does not bother and trouble others.)

* It is the obligatory right for all the Muslims who know us that each one of them presents his practices of the day and night to himself (gets it checked by himself) and becomes an accountant and checker for himself.

* So if he sees a good deed he must increase and boost it up and if he sees a sin he must repent upon it, and ask forgiveness from Allah, lest he should get disgraced and dishonored on the judgment day.

* Tolling and laboring hard for one’s family (wife and children and dependent) is like becoming the warrior of a holy war on the course of Allah.

* Our intercession and mediation will not be won and attained by that person who depreciates and undervalues the services (prayers a Muslim offers five times a day).

* Umer bin Hazala says I inquired from Imam Jaffer Sadiq (AS), " Two men out of us have a dispute about a debt or a heritage and proceed toward the king and the judges of the age (appointed by the king) to get their affair settled.

* Is their act of theirs lawful?" Imam Sadiq said, " Anyone who refers to them for judgment of whether something right or false, so truly he has referred to Taghut. And whatso ever judgment the (satanic institution) executes for him is getting haram wealth, because he gets it upon the order of false deity.

* Whereas Allah has commanded in the Holy Quran to deny the Satan. Allah said, "They desire to undergo the ruler ship of Satan (Taught) and they have already been ordained to disbelieve it."

* I said, "So how do they settle their dispute?" He replied "They should look for the one among you who narrates our hadith and sees into our lawful and our forbidden and knows our legal provisions and ordinances so they must get contented with his judgment. Truly I have already made them rulers over you."

* [Muhammad b. Abi Umayr reported on the authority of Hisham b. Salim on the authority of Abu Abd Allah, Jafar' b. Muhammad, peace be on them, who said:]' 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)."

* [Hisham b. Salim reported on the authority of Jabir b. Yazid al Jufi:] 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)."

* [Ali b. al-Hakam reported on the authority of Tahir, a follower of Abu Jafar Muhammad, peace be on him, who said:] 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."

* [Yunus b. Abd al-Rahman reported on the authority of Abd al-Ala, a retainer of the family of Sam, on the authority of Abu Abd Allah Jafar, peace be on him, who said:] 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. [II 132] 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."

* Reports with the same meaning as this account are numerous. The narration of the report of the tablet (lawh) with the designation of him, peace be upon him, for the Imamate has already been mentioned. The rational proofs which have been mentioned earlier that the Imam can only be the most outstanding person in merit (al- afdal) also indicate his Imamate, peace be on him, because of the clear demonstration of his outstanding merit in religious knowledge (ilm), in asceticism, and in practice above all his brothers, the members of his uncle's family and the rest of the people of his time. The evidence for the invalidity of the Imamate of those who were not protected (from error) like the prophets (were protected) and the clear demonstration of the lack of protection of those others who claimed the Imamate during his lifetime, together with their deficiency in (attaining) complete knowledge of religion, clearly indicates his Imamate. For there must be an Imam who is protected (from error) at all times as we have mentioned before. The people tell of the clear signs from God which were performed by him, peace be on him, which indicate his Imamate, his true right and the invalidity of the statements of those who claimed the Imamate on behalf of others.

* Among those is the report about him which the reporters of history (naqalat al-athar) recount about him with al-Mansur. Al-Mansur ordered Rabi to bring Abu Abd Allah Ja'far, peace be on him, to him. He brought him. When al-Mansar saw him, he said: "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."

* "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. "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?"

*"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?"

* 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."

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

It is reported that Dawud b. Ali b. Abd Allah b. Abbas killed al- Mualla b. Khunays, a retainer of Jafar b. Muhammad, peace be on them, and took his property. Ja'far, peace be on him, went to him while he was pulling at his cloak.

"You have killed my retainer and taken his property," (Jafar) said to him. "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."

"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: "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." It was not an hour before voices were raised in screeching (lamentation) and it was announced that Dawud b. Ali had just died.

Abu Basir reported: I visited Medina and I had a young slave-girl with me. I had intercourse with her and then I went to the baths. But I met some of our colleagues of the Shia who were heading towards Jaefar b. Sadiq, peace be on them. I was afraid that they would get there before me and I would miss visiting him so I went with them to the house. When I stood before Abu Abd Allah (Jafar), peace be on him, he looked at me and said: "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.

He, peace be on him, used to say: "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."

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).

[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."

[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."

[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.

I found (this written) in the handwriting of Abu al-Faraj 'Ali b. al- Husayn b. Muhammad al-Isfahani, in the text of his book known as Maqatil al-Talibiyin (the Martyrdoms of (the family of Abu) Talib):

Umar b. Abd Allah al-Atki informed me Umar b. Shabba told us: Al-Fadl b. 'Abd al-Rahman al-Hashim and Ibn Daja told us: Abu Zayd (Umar b. Shabba) (also) told me: Abd al-Rahman b. b. Amr b. Jabala told me: Al-Hasan b. Ayyub, retainer (mawla) of the Banu Numayr told me, on the authority of Abd al-Ala b. Ayan: Ibrahlm b. Muhammad b. Abl al-Kiram al-Jafari told me, on the authority of his father: Muhammad b. Yahya told me on the authority of Abd Allah b. Yahya: Isa b. Abd Allah b. Muhammad b. Umar b. Ali told me on the authority of his father: The account of some of them has been introduced into the account of the rest (as follows): A group of the Banu Hashim met at al-Abwa'. Among them were Ibrahim b. Muhammad b. Ali b. Abd Allah b. Abbas and Abu Jafar al-Mansur, Salih. b. Ali, Abd Allah b. al-Hasan, with his two sons Muhammad and Ibrahim, and Muhammad b. Abd Allah b. 'Amr b. 'Uthman. Salih. b. Ali addressed (them): "You know that you are the ones towards whom the people turn their eyes and that God has brought you together in this place. Therefore give a pledge of allegiance to one from among you, which you should give to him with (genuine dedication) of yourselves. Bind yourselves so that God may bring victory, for He is the best bringer of victory."

'Abd Allah b. al-Hasan praised and glorified God. Then he said: "You know that this son of mine is the Mahdi Therefore come, let us pledge allegiance to him."

"Why are you deceiving yourselves?" demanded Abu- Ja'far. "By God you know that there is no one else to whom the people would take greater strides nor greater speed to answer than they would to this man," meaning Muhammad b. Abd Allah.

"True," they said, "this is he whom we acknowledge." So they all pledged allegiance to Muhammad and took him by the hand.

[Isa reported:] Abd Allah b. al-Hasan's messenger came to my father, saying: "Come to us. We are gathered for an (important) affair." He sent (information) about that to Jafar b. Muhammad, peace be on them.

[Others, not including Isa, reported:] 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."

[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."

[They (i.e. the other authorities) reported:] 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)."

"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).

"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.

[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."

[Abu al-Faraj reported: Ali b. al-Abbas al-Maqani told me: Bakkar b. Ahmad informed us: al-Hasan b. al-Husayn, on the authority of Anbasa b. Bijad' al-Abid told us:] 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."

This (second report) is a famous report just like the one before it. The historians do not differ on the accuracy of both of them. They both (clearly) give evidence for the Imamate of Abu 'Abd Allah al- Sadiq, peace be on him. Indeed miracles were performed by him in order that he might make known things which were unknown and show the existence of things before they came to be, just as prophets, peace be on them, used to make (such things) known. That was one of their signs and indications of their prophet hood, and their truthfulness (in speaking) about their Lord, the Mighty and Exalted.

[Abu al-Qasim Ja'far b. Muhammad b. Qulawayh told me on the authority of Muhammad b. Ya'qub al-Kulayni, on the authority of 'Ali b. Ibrahim b. Hashim, on the authority of his father, on the authority of a group of his men (i.e. teachers), on the authority of Yunus b. Yaqub, who said:] I 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.

"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.

"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."

[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!"

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."

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. 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. 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 atter 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, 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," 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 famanta) in God," 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)."

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."

[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, realizes 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 support."

"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. "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.

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.

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.

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. [VII 99]"

The reports about what has been recorded on his authority, peace be on him, concerning knowledge, wisdom, asceticism, exhortation and all the branches of learning are too numerous to be enumerated in one speech or to be included in one book. What we have set out is enough for the purpose of what we intended. God is the bringer of success for what is right.

(The poet) al-Sayyid Ismail b. Muhammad al-Himyari, may God have mercy on him, withdrew from the doctrine of the Kaysaniyya which he had professed, when he was informed of Abu CAbd Allah's peace be on him, denial of this doctrine and of his prayers for him and he (returned) to the system of the Imamate. He said of him, peace be on him:

O (you) who ride a tall, strong camel to Medina, on which (you) cross every broad land,
If God guides you, you will look to Jaffer. So speak to the friend (wali) of God, the son of the man who was well-educated (in the learning of God):
Friend of God and son of the friend of God, I repent before the Merciful and then I return
To you from the wrong which I used to hold while I was constantly striving against all who obviously expressed (the truth).
Yet my words concerning the son of Khawla were not meant to be rebellious against the offspring of the celebrated one.
Rather they were spoken on the authority of the trustee (wasi) of Muhammad - and he was not a liar when we said
That the master of the affair (wali al-amr) would disappear without being seen for years like a man afraid.
The possessions of the missing man will be distributed as if his concealment were in the high heaven.
Say, "No," and the truth is what you say, and what you say is final without me adding any fanaticism.
I testify to my Lord that your words are a proof (hujja) to all creatures, whether obedient or sinful,
That the master of the affair (wali al-amr) and the one who will arise (al-qa'im) whom my soul (now) looks towards and who excites it to joy,
That He will have concealment (Ghayba) where it is inevitable that he will conceal himself. May God bless him as one who will be concealed.
He will delay for a time then his authority will come to dominate and he will fill all (the lands) from East to West with Justice.
In this poetry there is clear evidence for the withdrawal of al-Sayyid, may God have mercy on him, from the beliefs of the Kaysaniyya, and for his holding the doctrine of the Imamate of al-Sadiq, peace be on him. (There is also evidence) for the existence of a clear call on the part of the Shia during the time of Abu 'Abd Allah to (accept) his Imamate and to hold the doctrine of the concealment of the leader (for the rest) of time (saihib al-zaman), the blessings and peace of God be on him. This (poem) is a clear indication of (al-Sayyid's belief) and it is a clear statement of (the doctrine of) the Twelver-Imamites (Imamiyya Ithna Ashariyya).

[Sayf b. 'Umayra (reported) on the authority of Bakr b. Muhammad, on the authority of Abu 'Abd Allah (Jafar al-Sadiq), peace be on him:] (Jafar al-Sadiq) said: "There will be three appearances in one year, one month and one dayùthe 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."

[Hammad b. Isa (reported) on the authority of Ibrahim b. Umar al-Yamani on the authority of Abu Basir, on the authority of Abu Abd Allah (Jafar al-Sadiq), peace be on him:] (Jafar al-Sadiq) said: "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."

[Al-Husayn b. Abi 'Ala' (reported) on the authority of Abu Basir, on the authority of Abu Abd Allah (Ja'far al-Sadiq), peace be on him:] (Jafar al-Sadiq) said: "Because of the sons of so-and-so there will be a battle at your mosqueùmeaning 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."

[Ibrahim b. Muhammad (reported) on the authority of Ja'far b. Sad, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Abu Abd Allah (Jafar al-Sadiq), peace be on him:] (Jafar al-Sadiq) said: "In the year of the Conquest (by the Mahdi) the Euphrates will flood so that the water goes into the alleys of Kufa."

[It is reported in the account (hadith) of Muhammad b. Muslim, who said:] I (i.e. Muhammad b. Muslim) heard Abu Abd Allah (Jafar al-Sadiq), peace be on him, say: "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."

[Al-Husayn b. Sa'id (reported) on the authority of Mundhir al-Jawzi, on the authority of Abu Abd Allah (Jafar al-Sadiq), peace be on him:] (Mundhir al-Jawzi) said: I heard (Ja'far al-Sadiq) say: "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."

"A great man from the people of Qaim will rise up and take a stand. He will invite people will invite people towards the truth. Brave people like strong mountains, not fearing fighting and having trust in Allah will come to his help.......... Finally the enemy of Islam will withdraw.............. The rule of Islamic Law will be established by the people themselves".
"Kufa will become barren of Islamic knowledge........... whilst Qum will become the centre of Islamic Fiqh............ so much so that it will spread throughout the world that not a single person will remain ignorant of the message of Islam".
"These people will be the vicegerents of the 12th Imam. Their rule will continue and link with the appearance of the 12th Imam. They will not entrust the rule established by them to any but Imam on his reappearance".

[al-Hasan b. Ali al-Washsha' (reported) on the authority of Ahmad b. A'idh, on the authority of Abu Khadija, on the authority of Abu Abd Allah (Ja'far al-Sadiq, peace be on him:] (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."

[Muhammad b. Sinan (reported) on the authority of al-Husayn b. al-Mukhtar, on the authority of Abu Abd Allah (Jafar al-Sadiq), peace be on him:] (Ja'far al-Sadiq) said: "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. t his disappearance, the one who will rise (al-qai'im), peace be on him, will come forth."

[Ali b. Abi Hamza (reported) on the authority of Abu Basir, on the authority of Abu 'Abd Allah (Jafar al-Sadiq), peace be on him:] (Jafar al-Sadiq) said: "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."

[Ibrahim b. Muhammad (reported) on the authority of Ja'far b. Sad, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Abu Abd Allah (Jafar al-Sadiq), peace be on him:] (Jafar al-Sadiq) said: "In the year of the Conquest (by the Mahdi) the Euphrates will flood so that the water goes into the alleys of Kufa."

[It is reported in the account (hadith) of Muhammad b. Muslim, who said:] I (i.e. Muhammad b. Muslim) heard Abu Abd Allah (Jafar al-Sadiq), peace be on him, say: "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."

[Al-Husayn b. Sa'id (reported) on the authority of Mundhir al-Jawzi, on the authority of Abu Abd Allah (Jafar al-Sadiq), peace be on him:] (Mundhir al-Jawzi) said: I heard (Ja'far al-Sadiq) say: "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."

Mas'adah relates from Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq (A.S.) that he said: "The Qa'im will be born of Hasan (the 11th Imam, Hazrat Imam Hasan al-'Askari), and Hasan will be son of 'Ali (the tenth Imam, Hazrat Imam 'Ali al-Naqi), and 'Ali will be son of Muhammad (the ninth Imam, Hazrat Imam Muhammad at-Taqi), and Muhammad will be born of 'Ali (the eighth Imam, Hazrat 'Ali ibn Musa ar-Rida) and 'Ali will be son of this child (he pointed to Hazrat Musa ibn Ja'far, the seventh Imam). We are twelve Imams, all pure and of a noble birth. I swear by Allah, if there remains of the world no more than one day, Allah will make that day so long that the Qa'im of us, the Husehold of the Prophet (S.A.), will appear."

1. The Prophet said: "The Qa'im of my descendents will become hidden, as the result of a covenant between me and him, and then people will say that Allah has no need of the family of Muhammad, and some will doubt his birth.
So everyone who is aware of his time must act according to his religion, and must not let Shaytan enter him by faltering lest he be thrown out from my people and my religion."

2. Amir al-Mu'minin said: "Our Qa'im has an occultation which will be of great devotion... Beware! Everyone who is firm in his religion, and does not become hard-hearted from the lengthening of the occultation of this man (and turn away from his religion) will find himself in the same rank as me on the Day of Resurrection." Then he said: "Our Qa'im, when he rises, has no responsibility for anyone's allegiance to him, and for this reason his birth will be secret and he will be hidden."

3. Muhammad ibn Muslim said that he heard from Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (A.S.) that he said: "If you hear of the occultation of your Imam, do not deny it."

4. At-Tabarsi wrote: "The hadiths of the occultation were recorded by the Shi'ite narrators in books which were composed in the time of Imam Baqir and Imam Sadiq (A.S.). Of all these reliable narrators one was Hasan ibn Mahbub. About a hundred years before the time of the occultation, he wrote a book called "al-Mashyakhah," and mentioned the hadiths about the occultation in it.

The following is one of them. "Abu Basir said: "I said in the presence of Imam Sadiq (A.S.) that Hazrat Abu Ja'far had said: 'The Qa'im of the family of Muhammad will have two occultation; one prolonged, one short.' He said: 'Yes, O Abu Basir, one of those occultation will be longer than the other." Therefore, the Prophet of Islam (S.A.) and the pure Imams (A.S.) reminded people that the occultation of the Imam of the Age (A.S.) went together with the announcement of the existence of the Prophet himself, and that belief in the Imam's occultation went together with belief in the Prophet's existence. Shaykh Saduq narrated from Al-Sayyid al-Himyari: "I had some exaggerated idea about Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah, and believed that he was hidden, till Allah enlightened me through Imam Sadiq and saved me from the Fire.

I was guided to the true way, whereby after the Imamate of Ja'far ibn Muhammad had been proved to me by evidence and demonstration, I said one day to him: 'O son of the Prophet of Allah, tell me some hadiths from your forefathers about occultation and the truth of it. If you please, I would that you tell me for whom the occultation is.
' He replied: 'The occultation will occur for my descendent in the sixth generation, and he will be the twelfth Imam after the Prophet of Allah, the first one being 'Ali ibn Abi Talib, and the last the Qa'im of the Truth, the one who remains with Allah on earth, and the Lord of the Age..."'

Zurarah relates from Imam Sadiq (AS.) that he said: "There will be an occultation prior to the appearance of the Qa'im." Zurarah asked: "Why?" He said: "So that he may escape being killed, and that occultation will continue till the ground for his appearance and triumph over the rule of the oppressors is ready." 3. The third benefit that can be gleaned from the hadiths is that by this means al-Mahdi will be saved from having allegiance made to him by the oppressors, Caliphs, and usurping rulers. When he appears no one will swear allegiance to him, so that he can freely expose the truth and establish a just and righteous rule.

Imam Sadiq (a.s) also said in answer to the question: " How can people benefit from a hidden Imam?": " Just as they do from the sun when it is behind a cloud."

He was the deciple of his father, Imam Ja'far Sadiq (A.S.), the great spiritual leader. He appointed his son Musa al-Kazim (A.S.) as his successor to the office of Imamate. Ali bin Ja'far, the brother of Imam Musa al-Kazim (A.S.), a dependable, trustworthy narator, ie reported to have said, "I heard Abu-J'afar bin Mohammad (A.S.) saying to some people from his entourage and close friends, "Take care of this son of mine, Musa. He is the best of my sons, and the best among whom I leave ofter me. He shall be my successor and the proof of Allah, the Exalted, over all his servants after me.: Ahl-ul-Bayt 9, Al-Balagh Foundation,1416 A.H. 1995 A.D. pp. 29-30.

Imam al-Sadiq (A.S.) himself once said to a companion of his, "Should you ask this son of mine,whom you know, avout what is between the two covers of the Qur'an, he will certainly answer you knolegeably". Ibid p.30.

Ali bin Ja'far, the brother of Imam Musa al-Kazim (A.S.), a dependable, trustworthy narrator, is reported to have said, "I heard Abu-Ja'far bin Muhammad (a.s.) saying to some people from his entourage and close friends, 'Take good care of this son of mine, Musa. He is the best of my sons, and the best among whom I leave after me. He shall be my successor and the proof of Allah, the Exalted, over all his servants after me.'"

[Ibn Miskan reported on the authority of Sulayman b. Khalid, who said :]
One day Abu Abdallah Ja'far, peace be on him, called for Abu al-Hasan Musa while we were with him. He told us : "It is your duty to follow this man after me. By God, he is your leader after me." Ibid. p. 439.

In another statement Imam al-Kadhim (A.S.) expalined the relation between Allah's will and man's. He showed how man's behavior has developed, whether it is good or bad. He emphasized the fact that man is free, and he enjoys the full freedom of choice. He can do something and refrain from doing it. Allah never abolishes man's will. But this freedom to act pn the part of man does not mean that Allah is unable to prevent His servants from doing evil, or that He cant force them to do good. Allah Simply wants to test man in his life, Imam al- Kazim (A.S.) says : "When Allah created His creatures, He knew what their fates would be. He ordered them to do certain things and forbade them to do other things. If he ordered them to do certain things, He left them free to do them or not. They cannot do something or abstain from doing it without His will. Never did Allah force any of his servants to disobey Him. ' He simply tests his servants with tribulations." Ibid. pp.37-38.

Imam al-Sadiq (A.S.) himself once said to a companion of his, "Should you ask this son of mine, whom you know, about what is between the two covers of the Qur'an, he will certainly answer you knowledgeably". Ibid p.30.

Features of the Imam's Noble Character:
1.Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (A.S.) is reported to have said, "My father used to praise Allah much. When I walked with him he would remember Allah; when I ate with him, he would remember Allah. Even when talking to people, he would remember Allah. I heard him always praising Allah and saying repeatedly: 'There is no god but Allah'. He would gather us together and order us to praise Allah till sunrise. Whoever was able from among us, my father would order him to recite the Holy Qur'an, but he would order the one who could not read to praise Allah."

2. Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (A.S.) said: "One day, I called on my father and found him busy handing out eight thousand dinars to the poor people of Medina. He set free a family of eleven slaves."

3. His son Imam as-Sadiq (AS) is reported to have said: "My father used to praise Allah much. When I walked with him, he would remember Allah; when I ate with him, he would remember Allah. Even when talking to people, he would remember Allah. I heard him always praising Allah and repeating: "There is no god but Allah". He would gather us together and order us to praise Allah till sunrise. Whoever was able from among us, my father would order him to recite the Qur'an, but he would order the one who could not read, to praise Allah.(2)

4. Aflah, his male-servant, said: "I went to perform Hajj (pilgrimage) with Muhammad ibn Ali (AS). Upon entering the Mosque, he looked at the House of Allah and started weeping aloud till all could hear him. "May my father and mother be your ransom," I said to him, "People are looking at you ... if you lower your voice a little.." "May Allah have mercy on you," he explained. "Why should I not cry? Maybe Allah favors me with His mercy, and I may win His pleasure on the Day of Judgment." Then he circumambulated the House of Allah. Near the Maqam [a stone bearing the footprints of Prophet Ibrahim (AS)], he went down in prostration. When he raised his head, I saw that the place where he had touched his forehead to the ground was wet due to the profusion of his tears."

5. Concerning his supplication at night, Imam as-Sadiq (AS) said, "My father would say in his prayers at night, "You ordered me to do good, but I did not heed. You forbade me to do evil, but I did not listen. Here I am, Your servant in Your presence, I ask your forgiveness."(3)

6. And in his supplication which he used to say when he went to bed, he said, "In the name of Allah, My Lord, I have submitted myself to You, turned my face towards You, and to You I commanded myself. I have put my trust in You out of my fear from You and my desire to win Your satisfaction. There is no escape, neither is there refuge in anyone except You. I believe in Your Book which You revealed and in Your Messenger whom You sent."

... Then he would recite the praise of Hazrat az-Zahra (SA).(4)
These selected texts reveal a soul infused with the love of Allah, and the seeking of His nearness, feeling His all-encompassing Mercy everywhere and always, and praying to Allah with all his soul, heart and senses. Such a state of spirituality can be achieved hardly by anyone. Only the saints can feel the closeness of Allah in such an intimate way.

Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (AS) was so close to Allah, the Exalted, that the Hereafter and the meeting of Allah were his only concern. He was totally obsessed with them.

1. His son, Imam as-Sadiq (AS) is quoted to have said, "One day, I called on my father and found him busy handing out 8,000 dinars to the poor people of Medina. He set free a family of 11 slaves.(5)

2. Sulaiman ibn Qarm said: "Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn Ali (AS) would reward us with 500, 600 and up to 1000 dirhams. He never tired of helping his brethren, those who came from distant places to see him, and those who hoped he would help them."(6)

1. Ima`m Abu` 'Abd Allah al-Sa`diq, peace be on him said: "My father was then the best Mohammedan on the surface of the earth.( Al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya, vol. 9, p. 309).

His son Imam Jafar Al-Sadiq (as) has said of his father, "My father would recite Allah's names very often and even when walking he would keep reciting Allah's names. And the conversation of the people before him, would not distract him or stop him from reciting Allah's names. He would pray a lot at night and his tears would flow tremendously during his prayers."

Imam Mohammad Al-Baqir (as) the son of Imam Ali Ibin Hussain (as) and Fatimah (as), the Daughter of the Imam Hassan (as) was the Fifth Infallible Holy Imam (as).
He was a man of great virtue and leadership, a man of a vast knowledge, great forbearance, great moral discipline, worship, generosity and kindness.

Umm Hamidah said:
"Abu Baseer, you were not here when the Imam was breathing his last. A strange thing happened."
Abu Baseer inquired: "What happened?"
Umm Hamidah said:
"Just as the Imam was breathing his last, he seemed to suddenly to recover. Raising his eyes, he asked us to call all the members of the family to his bedside. Everyone of the family was there, waiting to hear what the Imam had to say. And then, addressing us all, the Imam said:
'Our Shafa'at (Intercession on the Day of Judgment) shall not reach those who belittle the importance of salat (namaz). With the final words, he departed."
Reference: Pearls of Wisdom. A String of Incidents in the History of Islam. The World Federation of Khoja Shia Ithna-Asheri Muslim Communities. Page 68. By: Bassem Al-Nasiry

Abu Basir says that Umme Khalid Abadiya presented herself before Imam Jafar as-Sadiq (a.s.) when Abu Basir was also present. Umme Khalid said; "May I be sacrificed for you, on the day of Qiyamat I will tell Allah that I have done as commanded by Jafar ibn Muhammad (a.s.). Physicians have told me to knead the flour with grape wine and eat the bread. This will cure the terrible pain of my heart. I ask you, shall I do this ?"
Imam Jafar as-Sadiq (a.s.) replied to Umme Khalid; "No ! By Allah I will not permit you even a drop of wine. Don't taste even a drop of it. Otherwise when your soul reaches here (Imam pointed towards his throat) you will only regret." Then Imam (a.s.) asked Umme Khalid thrice.
"Have you understood ?" "Yes", replied Umme Khalid.

A student of Fuzail Ibne Ayaz was on the death-bed. Fuzail came to him, and sitting near his head began to recite Surah Yasin. The disciple told his teacher, "Do not recite the Quran!" Fuzail became silent. Then he began to urge his disciple to repeat "La ilaha illallah". The student said: "I will not repeat this formula because I am disgusted with it !" And he died in the same condition.

Fuzail Ibne Ayaz was extremely perturbed. He returned home after completing his duties and went to sleep. He saw his student undergoing punishment. He asked him, "What is the reason of your being deprived of faith (Imaan) at the time of your death? You were one of my best students."

The student replied: "There are three reasons, firstly, I used to backbite too much, secondly, I used to be jealous, thirdly, a physician had prescribed for my malady a cup of wine every year. He told me that if I do not drink, the disease will never be cured. Every year I drank one cup of wine." (Safinatun Behaar Vol. I Pg. 428) (extract from the book "Greater Sins" by Shaheed DastGhaib)

[Abu Muhammad al-Hasan b. Muhammad b. Yahya informed me: my grandfather (Yahya b. al-Hasan) told me Abu Muhammad al- Ansari told me: Muhammad b. Maymun al-Bazzaz told me: al-Hasan b. Alwan told us on the authority of Abu Ali Ziyad b. Rustum, on the authority of Sai'd b. Kulthum who said:] 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.

Imam al-Sadiq is reported to have said:"Ali bin Hussein was a keen and diligent worshipper. He would fast during the day and stand in prayer during the night. That harmed his body, and so I asked him, " Why this perseverance, father?. ' I endear myself to my Lord,' replied he; seeking his closeness. Ibid p.20.

There are some preconditions for it to be accepted ,like a person is to be married before he can pray & wish for a child.:-
a. Taqwa -Fear of Allah swt
b. Efforts & Perseverance.Efforts like that of Sarah between safa & Marwah & Patience in not giving up &continuing upto 7 rounds
c. Conviction that it can work & not an attitude of what can one line do
This will inshallah result in awards beyond imagination ,like zam zam though what was asked was only a cupful!

Imam Ja'far Sadiq (a.s.) had passed away, after being poisoned: but at that time, Abu Baseer had not been in town. So he had come now to offer his condolences. He wept bitterly as he remembered the Imam (a.s.).
Umm Hamidah said:
"Abu Baseer, you were not here when the Imam was breathing his last. A strange thing happened."
Abu Baseer inquired: "What happened?"
Umm Hamidah said:
"Just as the Imam was breathing his last, he seemed to suddenly to recover. Raising his eyes, he asked us to call all the members of the family to his bedside. Everyone of the family was there, waiting to hear what the Imam had to say. And then, addressing us all, the Imam said: 'Our Shafa'at (Intercession on the Day of Judgment) shall not reach those who belittle the importance of salat (namaz). With the final words, he departed." Reference:
Pearls of Wisdom. A String of Incidents in the History of Islam. The World Federation of Khoja Shia Ithna-Asheri Muslim Communities. Page 68.

Abu Hanifeh the leader of the Hanafi school of thought, said:
"I did not find anybody more knowledgeable in jurisprudence than Jafar-ibn-Muhammad. Once Mansoor (the Abbassid ruler) told me: people are very attached to Jafar ibn-Muhammad. I ask of you to prepare religious questions so difficult that he will not be able to answer. After I prepared the questions, Mansoor al - Abbassi called me to his court. When I entered, I saw Jafar ibn-Muhammad sitting next to Mansoor. I started to ask the forty questions which I had prepared . In response to each question, he (Imam Jafar Sadiq) expressed the views of each school of thought of Islam and then the view of the Shi'ite sect. Sometimes the Shi'ite view was the same as the others and Sometimes it differed. Jafar ibn Muhammad replied to all forty questions in the same manner."
Then abu-Hanifeh goes on to say: "Didn't we (Muslims) believe that the most knowledgeable of us is the one who is well acquainted and well informed of the different views of the people" (Tazkerat-al-Hifaz Vol.1 p.1 57)

Malik ibn Ans, the leader of the Maliki school of thought said: "Several times I had the Opportunity to meet Jafar ibn Muhammad. Whenever I saw him he was either praying or reciting the Holy Qur'an or fasting. He was among thit pious scholars who. feared God." (The Book of Malik, written by Abu-Zohreh P.28)

"No eyes have ever seen, no ears have ever heard, and no heart has ever found anybody greater than Jafar ibn Muhammad Sadiq in knowledge, piety, and worship." (The Book of Rawassol va Wasilah of Ibn-Teimieh p.52)

Ibn Hajar Asghalani, the distinguished Islamic historian, said: "Jafar ibn Munammad ibn Ali ibn Hussain ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib is the most honest among Jurisprudents." (Taghrib-al-Tahzib p.68)

Amr ibn-Abid, one of the leaders of Mo'atazeleh, while addressing the Imam said: 'Death to those who plundered your inheritance and stood against your knowledge." (Al Irnam-alSadiq written by Ramadhan Lawand p.20)

Abu Naeem Isfahani, the renowned Islamic historian, said: "Jafar ibn Muhammad is the righteous Imam and the one who has inherited the Imamate and the leadership." (Helya tul-Ulya Vol.3 P.192)

Ibn Khalkan, the famous Islamic historian and biographer, said: "Jafar, the son of Muhammad Baqir, is one of the twelve Imams of the Shi'ites. He was among prominent personalities of the Ahul-Bait. He was named 'the honest' for his honesty and was well-known among the people. "(Wafiat-ul-A'yan)

Abu al-Fatah Muhammad ibn Abdul-Karim Shahrestani, the Islamic historian, said: "Jafar-ibn-Muhammad al-Sadiqe is enormously knowledgeable. He has no desire for worldly matters and is a very pious man. He resided in Medina for a while and taught his followers the secrets of the holy religion of Islam. Then he entered Iraq and lived there for some time. He never fought with anybody for 'Khilafa' (leadership). Yes, whoever is deeply surrounded by the ocean of knowledge will never sink in a small river. And whoever climbs the mountain of the truth will not be afraid of falling down." (Mellal wa NahI Vol.1 p272)

Mansoor Dawanighi, the Abbasside Khalif, said: "Jafar is among those selected by Cod and a leader in charitable deeds. There is no Ahlul-Bait unless there is a narrator among them and today's narrator is Jafar-ibn-Muhammad." (Tarikh Ya'kubi Vol.3 p. 177)

Ibn-Abeluja', the renowned narrator. said: "He is above human beings. If there is one person in the world who can be deeply obsessed with spiritual matters and then come out of that state, anytime he wishes, it is ]afar-ibn-Muhammad." (Al-Imam Sadiq Walmathahib al-Araba'a Vol.1 p.54)

Abdul-Rahinan Bastami, the Islamic historian and famous gnosti, said: :"Scholars benefited from his (Imam Jafar Sadiq) divine knowledge. He talked about the secrets of the unseen world when he was only seven years of age." (Manhij-al-Tawassol p.106)

Ibn al Jozi Abdul-Rahman, the religious historian, said: "Worshipping and praising God had kept Ja'afar ibn Muhammad from seeking the position of leadership" (Safwat-ul Safwat Vol2 p94)

Abti -Bahr Jahiz, the famous writer known as the man of Letters. said: "The jurisprudential knowledge of Ja'afar ibn Muhammad filled the whole world . Just the fact that Abu Hanifeh and Sofian - Thori were among his students prevails his great scientific personality (Rasael al-Jahiz. p106)

Kamaluddin Muhammad ibn-Talheh Shafe'i, the leader of the Shafe'i School of thought, said: "Jafar- ibn-Muhammad is among the 'sadat' and jurisprudents of the Ahlul-Bait. He is a perpetual worshipper and reciter of the Holy Qur'an and perceives the profound meanings of the Book."

"His face reminds one of the Hereafter, his words teaches one piety in this world, and following his commands would take one to the heaven. The light in his face depicts his kinship to the Prophet and honesty in his deeds attests to his relationship to the Prophet's household."

Jammaluddin Abulmahasen, the eminent religious historian, said: "Jafar Sadiq, the son of Muhammad Baqir, is the Imam, 'Sayyid', Abu-Abdullah, Hashemi, Alawi, and Hussaini. He was called 'the patient' 'the learned', and 'the pure' but by most people he was known as: The honest'." (Al Nujum-al-Zahira Vol.2 p.8)

Alusi, the Mufti of Baghdad, said: "Abu Hanifeh, the leader of the Hanafi school of thought, has clearly stated that: No'man (Abu-Hanifeh) Would have been lost in this world if he had not benefited from the great knowledge of Jafar Sadiq in the two years of his apprenticeship. (Tohfeh Ethna-Asharia p.8)

Dr. Ahmad Amin the late historian and author of Fajr ul-Islam, said: "Imam Ja'afar Sadeq was the most prominent religious persorality of the Slii'ite sect at that time and perhaps in all era. in one word, Imam Jafar is among the greatest personatities in his time and afterwards. (AI-Imam Sadeq written by Assad Haydari, Vol.1 p.62)

Imam Sadiq (A.S.) Said:
Who is the faithful?
The faithful is the one:
who earns 'halal' income
who has good virtues and a pure heart
who donates his extra income for charitable deeds
who refrains from idle-talking
who does no harm to people and who treats all justly. Source : Echo of Islam

1- One day, when Imam Jafar Sadiq (A.S) was working in the agricultural field with a spade in hand and he was soaked in perspiration. At that moment, Abu Omar Shaibani saw the holy Imam and said to himself: Maybe, that Imam Sadiq (A.S) is not having any worker or helper. So he said: Allow me to perform your work. The holy Imam replied, “ No, I like that one should endeavor and struggle himself to earn his livelihood”.

2- It is reported from the wife of Imam Sadiq (A.S) that: It was the final hours of his holy life when suddenly he opened his eyes and asked all his family members and near ones to gather around him. When all of them had gathered besides him , the holy Imam said , “ Our Shafa’at ( intercession) will not reach to those who degrade and undervalue their Salat (prayers).”

3- Malik Ibn Anas says : We had accompanied Imam Sadiq (A.S) for the Haj. When he wished to recite the word ‘Labbaik’, his voice could not come out from his throat, I told him: O son of the Messenger of Allah, it is inevitable that you should say the Labbaik. In reply , he said “ How can I be impertinent and dare to say Labbail when I fear that my Lord will not comply with my request and will reply me, no Labbaik, no”.

Ibne Sayyaba, a resident of Kufa, was a young man whose father had died. The tragedy of the death of his father, coupled with poverty and unemployment, was destroying the soul of the sensitive man. One day while sitting in his house, he heard a knock at the door. He was a friend of his father. After offering his condolences, he said: "Did your father leave anything for you?""No"
"Then take this thousand Dirham; try to turn it into a capital, and meet your expense from its profit".

Saying these words he went away. Ibne Sayyaba, happy as he was, went to his mother and showing the money told her the story. The same day, he used the money in purchasing some merchandise and opening a shop; and set his heart to it. He made a rapid progress. Soon after he realised that not only he had met his household expenses from the profit, but also the capital had increased to a great extent. Now he thought of performing pilgrimage, and approached his mother for her advice. She said, "First you should repay the thousand Dirham which has brought such prosperity to us, and then you may go to Makkah."

He went to see the friend of his father, and placing a purse of one thousand Dirham before him, said, "Please accept your money back." The man thought that Ibne Sayyaba was returning the same money because it was not sufficient for any trade. So he said:
"If the amount is insufficient I can increase it."
"Good God, it was not insufficient. It has brought great prosperity to us and since I am now quite well off financially, I have come to repay your money, and to express my thanks to you, particularly when I have decided to go on pilgrimage.
He came to his home and packed his luggage for Makkah.

After performance of the holy Hajj, he came to Medina and went to see Imam Sadiq (a.s.) along with other pilgrims. There was a huge crowd in the house of the Imam (a.s.). Being young he chose to sit at the far end of the gathering, and from there watched the people coming and going; and heard their questions and the answers given by the Imam. When the house became nearly empty, the Imam (a.s.) pointed to him and said:
"What can I do for you?"
"I am Abdur Rehman, son of Sayyaba, of Kufa (from the tribe of Bijilly)."
"How is your father?"
"He died"
"Ah! Ah! May God have His mercy upon him. Did he leave anything for you?"
"No, he didn't"
"Then how could you perform pilgrimage?"
"After the death of my father we were in distress. On one side his death and on the other side poverty and unemployment, were crushing us extremely. Then one day a friend of my father gave me one thousand Dirham and advised me to invest the amount in business. I followed his advice and from its profit I came to perform pilgrimage".
Before he could finish his story, the Imam (a.s.) said, "Tell me what did you do about the money of your father's friend?"
I refunded the amount on the advice of my mother before coming out for Hajj".
"Very good. Do you like me to give you an advice?"
"May I be your ransom; of course"
"Be truthful and righteous. A truthful and righteous man is a partner in the wealth of others".

Two neighbors, a Muslim and a Christian, were on friendly terms. Having concern for one another they used to enquire after each other's health, and exchanged views from time to time. The Muslim being a devout and religious man spoke high of his religion and the result was that the Christian friend embraced Islam.
The night passed and it was nearing dawn. The Christian, a new convert, heard somebody ramming his door. Surprised and restless he shouted:
"Who is it?"
From the back came a loud voice, "I am so and so", introducing himself. He was the Muslim neighbor who had the honor of converting him to Islam.
"What do you want at this late hour?"
"Be quick, put on your clothes and perform ablution, so that we should go to the Mosque together".

The new Muslim performed ablution (Wazu) for the first time in his life and set out to Mosque behind his Muslim friend, They had arrived before time. It was the time for the Recommended (not obligatory) prayer after mid-night. They prayed till dawn - the time came for the Morning Prayer. They prayed the Morning Prayer and were engaged in benedictions and invocations till it became perfectly clear. When the new Muslim made a move towards the door, his friend interrupted:
"Where are you going?"
"I am going home, Since I have finished my Morning Prayer, there is nothing else to do now."
"Wait a while and recite the benedictions till the sun rises."
"Very well."

He sat and recited the same till the sun rose. When he rose up to go, his friend placed the Qur'an in his hand saying, "Read it till the sun rises a little high. And I advise you to fast today. Don't you know how much virtues and rewards there are in fasting?" The new Muslim did as he was told, and sat reciting the Qur'an till it was nearing noon. The Muslim neighbor said: "Now it is almost noon; better we perform the noon-prayer in the Mosque." So, the Zohr (noon) prayer was prayed. Then he said again: "After just a short time, the Asr (after-noon) prayer will be prayed. We should perform that also at the proper time". That prayer was also performed. Then he said, "It is almost evening now" and detained the new convert till it was time for Maghrib (evening) prayer. When he rose up to break his fast, the neighbor said, "there is one more prayer remaining. It is named "Esha" or the sleeping-time prayer." So they waited nearly one hour for the proper time of this prayer. After that the new Muslim got up and went away.
Next day at the same hour of night he again heard knockings at the door.
"Who is there?"
"I am so and so.... your neighbor. Be quick, put on your clothes and perform ablution to go to the Mosque together".

"As soon as I returned from the Mosque last night, I resigned from your religion. Please go away and find some other idle man who has nothing to do in this world, so that he may be able to spend his whole time in the mosque. I am a poor man having wife and children to feed. I should better go after my work to earn my livelihood."

Imam Jaafer Sadiq relating the story to his friends and companions, said: "In this manner a devoted man after converting a new Muslim, had himself kicked him out of Islam. You must bear this fact in mind and should not trouble the people unnecessarily. You should judge their strength and capacity and act accordingly, so that they develop affinity for the religion and do not run away from it. Don't you know that the policy of Ummayyads is based on violence, oppression and intimidation whereas our ways and methods are based on leniency, brotherhood and persuasion."

THE CREATION OF NABI ADAM (A.S) ,When Hazrat Adam (A.S.) was created, Allah S.W.T. said to the angels to bow down. Everybody bowed down except Iblis. The reason Iblis refused to bow down was because he said that Nabi Adam (A.S.) was made of clay and he was made from fire. How can fire bow down to clay? The angels looked at it in a different way. They looked at the inside of Nabi Adam (A.S.) because Allah S.W.T. gave knowledge to Nabi Adam (A.S.)
In the Holy Qur’an, Allah S.W.T. says in Sura 2, verses 31-34:
"And he taught Adam all the names, then presented them to the angels; then He said: Tell me the names of those if you are right. They said: Glory be to thee! We have no knowledge but that which Thou hast taught us; surely Thou art the knowing, the wise. He said: O Adam! Inform them of their names. Then when he had informed them of their names, He said: Did I not say to you that I surely know what is ghaib in the heavens and the earth and (that) I know what you manifest and what you hide? And when We said to the angels: Make obeisance to Adam they did obeisance but Iblis (did it not). He refused and he was proud and he was one of the unbelievers."

The Holy Prophet of Allah (S.A.W.) has said: "Atta libul ilm faridhatol kuli muslim." This Hadith means: "Attainment of knowledge is a must for every Muslim."

Imam Jaffer as-Sadiq (A.S.) has said: "Acquire knowledge of religious jurisprudence. Any one among you who does not become efficient in religious jurisprudence is a rustic."
Allah S.W.T. says in the Qur’an in Sura 9, Verse 121:
"..........let them devote themselves to studies in religion and admonish their comrades when they return to them so that they may guard themselves against evil."

Imam Jaffer as-Sadiq (A.S.) has said in this same subject: "I would rather like my companions to be flogged on their heads so that they may (be compelled to) acquire religious knowledge."

Allah S.W.T. says in the Holy Qur’an in Sura 107, Verse 1-7:
"Didn’t you see the one who denies religion (din)? Such is the one who repulses the orphan and does not encourage the feeding of the poor. So woe to the worshippers, who are neglectful to their prayers; those who (want but) to be seen (of men) but refuse (to supply even) the neighborly needs."

Imam Jaffer as-Sadiq (A.S.) has said about acting with knowledge: "Accept not deed without knowledge, and there is not knowledge except with action. So, whoever knows, his knowledge leads him to action, and whoever acts not has no knowledge."

Imam Sadiq's (as) family and dependents had grown in number. Imam thought of starting some business, so that the expenses of the family could be provided for. He gave one thousand Dinars to his servant named Musadif, and told him: "Take this money and go to Egypt for trade."

Musadif purchased products that were marketable in Ehypt, and left with a caravan.

As they arrived in Egypt, another caravan was leaving Egypt. It came to their attention that the goods, that Musadif had brought, had a competitive market in Egypt, and has become rare. Whoever had those goods, were very happy for their good luck. As the good happened to be a basic necessity of life, people had to purchase it for any price. The merchants agreed that they will sell it only double the price. Thus they went to the market place, and sold the item double the purchase price as they had agreed. Musadif returned with two thousand Dinars. Happily he went to the Imam (as) and put the two bags of money in front of him.
Imam (as) asked: "What are these?"
He said: "One of the bags is the initial capital. The next is the interest."
Imam (as): The interest is a large sum. Tell me how you earned all this?"
"We were informed that the goods we had along was rare in Egypt. So we decided and swore to sell it double its value." "Subhan Allah! You did such a thing! You swore to form a black market among the Muslims. You swore not to sell it but double the value! I do not want such trade. I don't want such profit.
Then Imam picked one of the bags and said: "This is my capital." He didn't touch the other, and said: "I have nothing to do with this." Then he said: "Fighting with sword is easier than earning Hallal sustenance." [1]
[1] Bihar al Anwar, V. 11, p 121

O Abdullah, the Shaitan has arranged his traps in this deceitful world to target our disciples only, but the world to come is too great in their eyes to seek a substitute for it. Oh, for hearts that are stuffed with illumination. For them, this world is as same as a poisonous snake and an outlandish enemy. They found amiability with Allah and they found strange that with which the luxurious ones found amusement. They are surely my disciples. They uncover every seditious matter and relieve every misfortune.

O son of Jundab, it is obligatory upon every Muslim, who claims of knowing us, to maintain judgment with his deeds everyday; if he notices that he has done a good deed, he should do it increasingly, and if he notices that he has committed an evildoing, he should seek Allah's forgiving it so that he will not be disgraced on the Day of Resurrection. Blessed be the servant - of Allah - who does not envy the wrongdoers for their having the worldly pleasures. Blessed be the servant who sought the world to come painstakingly. Blessed be him who is not cheated by the false expectations. Allah's mercy be upon those who were lanterns and lights. They advocated us through their deeds and all efforts. They are unlike him who divulges out secrets.

O son of Jundab, the true faithful believers are those who fear Allah and work hard so as the guidance that they have been given will not be taken from them. If they remember Allah and His grace, they feel apprehensive and fearful. If Allah's Verses are recited before them, they will increase their faith due to the power that He shows, and they depend upon their Lord.

O son of Jundab, in the old time, ignorance was erected and based. This is because they betook Allah's religion playfully and jokingly to the degree that he whoever did something for Allah's sake was intending someone else. Those are surely the unjust.

O son of Jundab, if our Shais - adherents - opt for righteousness, the angels will shake hands with them, they will get provisions from above - the heavens -and below - the earth - , and Allah will respond to all their supplications.

O son of Jundab, speak only good wording about the sinful people of your sect. You should supplicate to Allah importunately to guide them and accept their repentance. He whoever proposes us, follows us, shuns our enemies, says only what he knows, and says nothing about what he ignores or deems it problematic will be in Paradise.

O son of Jundab, decline is the result of him who depends upon his acts. He who commits sins and depends totally upon Allah's mercy will not be sad. The safe ones are those who are in a situation between hope and fear, whose hearts are as if they are in a claw of a bird due to their eagerness for the reward and fear from the penalty.

O son of Jundab, he who is pleased the Allah will give him the women of Paradise in marriage and crown him with the light should please his faithful brother.

O son of Jundab, sleep little at night and speak little in day. The less thankful organs are the eye and the tongue. Mother of Solomon the prophet (A.S.) instructed him, saying: "O son, beware of sleeping. It makes you needy on that day when people will be in importunate need for their deeds."

O son of Jundab, the Shaitan has some traps with which he traps the others. Keep yourselves safe against his snares and traps.

(Abdullah-bin-Jundab related) I asked, "O son of the messenger of Allah, what are these traps and snares?"
Imam As-Sadiq(A.S.) answered: The trap of the Shaitan is withholding from doing chrity to the friends, while his snare is sleeping away the settlement of the obligatory prayers. Certainly, no worship is preferred to walking for visiting and providing charity to the friends. Woe to those who are inadverent against their prayers, sleep inattentively, and mock at Allah and His marks.
- "They shall be weightless on the Day of Resurrection, and Allah will not speak to them nor will He look at them on the Day of Judgment nor will He purify them. They will face a painful torment. (Holy Qur'an 3:77)

O son of Jundab, Allah will ease him who begins his day thinking only how to save himself from Hell and seeking few profits from his Lord. Allah will make Hell the lodge of him who cheats, debases, and aggresses his friend. Like salt dissolving in water, faith will dissolve in the hearts of those who envy a faithful believer.

O son of Jundab, he who makes efforts for settling his friend's need is as same as that who roams between Safa and Marwa. He who settles the battles of Badr and Uhud for Allah's sake. Allah did not punish a nation before they had disregarded the rights of the poor among them.

O son of Jundab, inform our Shias - adherents - not to be highly tranquil. Pursuance to our leadership is not obtained without piety, painstakingness, and consoling the brothers for Allah's sake. He whoever opprresses people is not within our adherents.

O son of Jundab, the characters of our Shias are many: They are generous, open handedness with the friends, and offering fifty rak'as in day the nafilas). Our Shias neither shout like dogs nor are they avaricious like crows. They never lodge next to our enemies and never beg him who hates us even if they starve. Our Shias never have the meat of eel and never pass their hands over their slippers during the ritual ablution. They keep up the offering of the Dhuhr-midday-Prayer and do not drink any intoxicant.

(Abdullah-bin-Jundab related) I asked, "Allah make me your sacrifice, where can I find such Shias?" Imam As-Sadiq(A.S.) answered: You will find them on the summits of mountains and in outskirts. Whenever you are in a city, you will know the faithful by asking about the one whom the people of the city do not neighbor nor does he neighbor them. That is the faithful believer. This is in the Holy Quran. Allah says: "A man came running from the fartherst part of the city. (Holy Qur'an 36:20) That was Habib the carpenter. He was the only people of your sect. Every charity is acceptable except that which is done for showing off.

O son of Jundab, all sins are forgivable except mistreating the people of your sect. Every charity is acceptable except that which is done for showing off.

O son of Jundab, love (others) for Allah's sake. Cling to the firmest handle. Stick on the guidance so that your deeds will be accepted. Allah says: I am All-forgiving to the righteously striving believers who repent and follow the right guidance. (Holy Qur'an 20:82)

Hence, nothing except faith will be accepted. No faith without deed, no deed without conviction, and no conviction without submission. The master of all these is guidance. The deeds of him who follows the right guidance will be accepted and ascended to the Divine Realm. "Allah guides to the right path whomever He wants. (Holy Qur'an 2:213)

O son of Jundab, if you desire for neighboring the Glorified Allah and residing in the Elevated Paradise in His vicinty, you should demean the worldly pleasures, regard death permanently, and spare nothing for tomorrow. You should know that you will get the reward of whatever you precede-in charity- and suffer the punishment of whatever you delay.

O son of Jundab, he whoever deprives himself of enjoying his earnings is collecting for others. He whoever complies with his passions is complying with his enemy. For those who trust in Him, Allah will settle their worldly affairs as well as the affairs of the world to come and keep for them whatever they miss.

He who does not choose steadfastness for facing every mosfortune, thanks for every grace, and 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.

Trust in Allah in a way that you will not dare to disobey Him. Fear Him in a way that you do not despair of His mercy. Do not believe the saying and praise of the ignorant so that you will not be arrogant, tyrant, and esteem your deeds exaggeratedly.

Adoration and modesty are the best of deeds. Do not waste your fortune and put up the others' fortunes through what you are going to leave for them, Satisfy yourself with what Allah is giving you. Never look to what others have. Never expect (the good of) What you will not get. He who satisfies himself will surely attain self-sufficiency. He who is not pleased will never satiate. Take your share of the world to come.

Never be so crude that people desist from approaching you. Never quarrel with him who is higher than you. Never dispute about a matter whose rightful owners are the opposite party. Never listen to the foolish. Never humiliate yourself before any person. Never depend upon anyone's protection. Stop engaging yourself in a matter before you check it completely and realize its entrance and exit so as to avoid sorrow.

Consider your mind as a kinsman whose opinion you seek. Consider your knowledge as the father that you follow. Consider your self as the enemy that you fight and the loan that you will defray. You are assigned as the physician of yourself and shown the prescription of health, the malady, and the remedy. See how you will treat yourself.

If you have done favor to someone, you should not violate it by mentioning it and showing the obligation on him. You should attach another favor to the precious. This will be more fitting for you and will make your rewward in the world to come more fixed.

Keep silent and you will be reckoned as indulgent whether you were knowledgeable or ignorant. Silence is an ornament before the scholars and a screen before the ignorant.

O son of Jundab, once, Jesus son of Mary (A.S.) said "I tell you truthfully that you will not get what you want unless you leave your desires. Likewise, you will not attain your hopes unless you become steadfast against matters that you hate. Beware of looking (at foreign women even one time), because it sets sexual appetite in the heart. This will sufficiently be sedition. Blessed are those whose sight is in their hearts not in their eyes. Do not go after people's defects as if you are lords. You should inspect your defects like the slaves. People are either sick or healthy. Be kind to the sick and thank Allah for the health.

O son of Jundab, regard him who ruptured relation with you, give him who deprived you (of his bestowals), treat kindly him who mistreated you, greet him who reviled at you, be just to him who disputed with you, and pardon him who wronged you in the same way as you like others to pardon you. Take lessons from Allah's pardoning you; do you not see that His sun is covering the pious and the licentious and His rain is falling on the virtuous and the wrongdoers?

O son of Jundab, do not give alms openly for the purpose of making people second you. If you do so, then you have taken your reward. You should not let your left hand know that your right hand has given alms. He to whom you are giving alms secretly will surely reward you openly before all people on the day on which it will not be harmful for you that people witness your alms-giving.

Low you voice because your Lord, Who knows whatever you say secretly or openly, has already known your question before you ask it. When you observe fast, you should not backbite anybody. Do not oppress anyone while you are fasting. Do not be like those who fast for showing off; their faces are dusty, hair is disheveled, and mouths are dry just for making people know that they are fasting.

O son of Jundab, all the good and all the evil are in front of you. You will see the true good and the true evil after the world to come. Allah the Glorified put all the good in Paradise and all the evil in Hell, because they will persist.

It is an obligation upon him whom Allah has gifted guidance, honored with faith, granted intelligence, supplied with a brain with which the graces are recognized, and given knowledge and wisdom with which the worldly and religious affairs are managed, it is an obligation of him to deem obligatory upon himself to thank Allah never show ingratitude, never forget, obey, and never challenge Him. This obligation is for the old graces that the lord considered perfectly, the new ones that He gave after creation, the great rewards that He promised, and the favor of imposing only the possible and guaranteeing to help do it.

He also called man to seek His help to perform the fewest of what He imposed upon him. Nevertheless, man is ignoring and unable to do what Allah ordered him to do. He dressed the gard of belittling the bond between the Lord and him, pursued his whims, went on complying with his lusts, and preferred this world to the world to come; yet, he hopes to be in the Highest Paradise.

You should never expect to have the ranks of the doers of charity while you practice the deeds of the evildoers. When the Falling Event will come to pass, the Resurrection will arise, the Great Predominating Calamity comes, the All-omnipotent will maintain the scale for judgment and the creatures will be resurrected for the Day of Judgment, only then you will realize whose is the honor and exaltation and whose is sorrow and disappointment. Hence, work in this world so that you will win in the world to come.

O son of Jundab, in one of His revelations, Allah, the Majestic the Glorified, said: I will accept only the prayers of him who humiliates himself before My greatness, abstains from the pleasures for My sake, spends his day with referring to Me, never tyrannizes My creatures, serves the hungry, attires the naked, treats the injured kindly, and finds a place for the strange. The light of such people will shine like sunlight. I will give him light in the gloom and composure in the situations of ignorance. I will protect them by My might and assign My angels as their guards. I will respond when they call on Me and give when they ask Me. They are the like of the Highest Paradise; its fruits are unparalleled and it never changes."

O son of Jundab, Pudency is Islam'sits dress, decorum is its adornment, good deed is its personality, and piety is its pillar.
Everything should have a basis. The basis of Islam is the adoration to us-the Prophet's family.

O son of Jundab, Allah, the Blessed the Exalted, has a wall of light that is framed with aquamarine and silk and decorated with fine green silk.

This wall is fixed between our enemies and our followers. When the brains will boil, the hearts will reach the throats, and the livers will be fired due to the long period of the situation of the resurrection, the disciples of Allah will be taken into that wall.

They will be under Allah's security and protection. They will have whatever they desire and whatever their eyes find sweet. The enemies of Allah will be muffled by the sweat and thrilled by fear. They will look at what Allah will arrange for them and say: "Why is it that we cannot see men whom we had considered as wicked? (Holy Qur'an 38:62) Then, Allah's disciples will look and laugh at them. This is Allah's sayings"
"We mocked at them. Can our eyes not find them? (Holy Qur'an 38:63)

"On the Day of Judgment, the believers will laugh at the disbelievers, while reclining on couches and reviewing the bounties given to them. (Holy Qur'an:34-35)
At that time, Allah take everyone who supported any of our disciples, even by a single word, to Paradise without judgment.

* As soon as Umme Hameeda the mother of Imam Kadhim (as) saw Abu Baseer, who had come to pay his condolences for the death of her husband Imam Ja'fa Sadiq (as), she cried. Abu Baseer cried as well. When she was comforted, Umme Hameeda told him: "You were not present at the last moments of Imam (as) to see what happened."
Abu Baseer asked:" What happened?"
She said: "It was the last moments of Imam's (as) life. He eyes were closed. All of a sudden he opened his eyes, and said: 'gather all the family members now.' It was strange that the Imam (as) had ordered as such in this last moment. So we put our efforts together, and gathered all relatives. All were ready to hear what the Imam (as) had to say. When the Imam (as) saw that every one was present, he told them: "Our intercession shall be the portion of those who belittle their prayers." [1] Bihar al Anwar, V. 11, p. 105 From: Anecdotes of the Pious Ones, #64 V. 1

* Abu-Ja'far said: Imam as-Sadiq (A.S.) said to me: Allah the Glorified imputed dishonor to some people in the Qur'an because they divulged secrets.

* One day, he went to him anonymously and saw that he was surrounded by many people. Imam watched quietly. The first thing that the Imam (as) noticed was this man's deceiving and pretentious actions.
Then when he was alone, Imam followed him quietly to discover his actions. Soon that man went to a baker's shop. To Imam's surprise, the man took advantage of the baker's neglect and hid two loafs of bread under his garb. Imam thought that perhaps the man had already paid for the bread. Yet he was puzzled as to why he took it when the baker was not attending to him.
Imam continued to follow him, he was still thinking about the event at the baker's shop that the man stopped by a fruit stand. He waited for the owner to look away and he took two pomegranates and hid them under his garb, and walked away. Imam was still puzzled, Imam's (as) astonishment doubled when he saw that the man went to a sick man and gave him the bread and the pomegranates.
The Imam went to him and said: " I have seen a strange behavior from you today." Thus he told him the whole experience and requested clarification. He looked at the Imam and said: "I assume you are Ja'far ibn-e Muhammad?"
"That is true, I am Ja'far ibne Muhammad."
"Of course you are the son of the Prophet of Allah. But I am sorry that you are so ignorant."
"What ignorance have seen in me?"
"This question shows extreme ignorance. Obviously you can't figure out a simple account. Don't you know that Allah says in the Quran: Whoever does a good deed, he shall be reward ten times as much. Also Quran says and whoever commits an evil deed, he will be punished only for one times as much. Thus I stole two loafs of bread, and I gained two sins. Then I stole two pomegranates and earned two more sins. That is a total of four sins. But I gave the two breads and the two pomegranates in the way of Allah. Each counts as ten good deeds. Thus I have earned fourty good deeds, four minus fourty is thirty six. Thus I have thirty six pure good deeds. This is a simple math which you can't understand."

* "May Allah kill you. You are an ignorant man, that you have started calculating as such. Don't you know that Allah says: Allah accepts the deed of the pious. Now a simple math is sufficient to make you aware of your mistake. As you say, you gained four sins. Also since you have given stolen material to people under the name of charity and good will, you have not earned any good, Thus you have gained a sin for each deed. Thus you have a total of eight sins. Moreover, you have no good deeds." Imam (as) told him this and while his shocked gaze was fixed on the Imam, he (as) left the man.
When the Imam (as) told this story to his friends he added: "It is these kinds of ugly and erroneous miscalculations about religions obligations that leave people astray while they misguide others."[1] Wasael v. 2 p.57

Golden Sayings & Speeches of Hazrat Imam Jaffar Sadiq a.s .

Asalamoalaka ya Hazrat Imam Jaffar Sadiq a.s.

* Imam al-Sadiq (a.s.) explained this truth in these words: "I heard the traditions I communicate to you from my father. My father heard them from my grandfather. My grandfather heard them from his father. His father heard them from Ali bin Abi-Talib. Ali bin Abi-Talib heard them from the Apostle of Allah. And what traditions the Apostle of Allah had conveyed are the exact words of Allah, the Almighty and Most High."[7]

* Nor had you anybody like his son, Ja'far (Imam al-Sadiq) whose grandmother is a bondsmaid. He is better than you..."[9] Isma'il bin Ali bin Abdullah bin Abbas is reported to have said:
"One day I called on Abu-Ja'far al-Mansoor. Tears were coursing down his beard. He said to me: 'Have you heard of what happened to your family?' 'And what is that, O commander of the faithful, I queried? Their chief, the scholar and the best of the remaining pious among them has passed away. And who is that, commander of the faithful' I queried?'. 'Ja'far bin Muhammad, he said."[10] And so we understand from history documents how great the political and social position of the Imam was. He stood on the top of the social hierarchy and was the central force and the magnet of his era. Surely, one who learns the Qur'an,
teaches it and practices according to it,
I will guide and lead him to paradise". From: Anecdotes of the Pious Ones, # 45, V. 1

* Malik bin Ans, who was a famous scholar in Madinah, went to Hajj with Imam Sadiq (as) [1]. They arrived in Miqat, and got ready to put on the Ihram, and saying the Dhikr of Talbyya (We say yes to your call our Lord). Others said this prayer in their own common ways. Malik bin Ans noted that Imam (as) was in a different state. Every time that he (as) was about to say these words, his voice would crash in his throat, and lose control of his limbs such that he would be on the verge of falling off his ride.

* Malik approached the Imam (as) and said: "O son of the Prophet of Allah! You must say this Dikhr, no matter what your condition." The Imam (as) said: "O son of Abi 'Amir! How could I have the courage to say Labbaik? Saying Labbaik means that: My Lord, I am hurrying to what you are calling me towards, and I am always ready. With what confidence should I enact this boldness against my Lord, and call myself an ever ready servant? And what shall I do if the response from Him (swt) is La Labbaik (and we don't accept of you)? [2]

* Malik used to visit Imam Ja'fa Sadiq (as) quite frequently, and happens to be one of those who has narrated from him (as). Bihar's volume 11, page 109 reports from a number of books such as Khisal, 'Ilal ush Sharay', Suddooq, that Imam (as) was kind to Malik. He (as) would tell him that: "I like you." Malik used to be very happy whenever the Imam (as) was affectionate towards him. Malik is reported to have said: "I used to visit Imam Sadiq (as) for a time. I would find him praying, fasting, or reciting Qur'an. No ear has heard, no eye has witnessed, and no mind has imagined better than Ja'fa ibn-e Muhammad in knowledge, piety, and worship." (The book of Al Imam al Sadiq) It is also Malik who is reported to have said: "He was one of the best of his time, who feared Allah (swt), and knew a great deal of Hadith. He was pleasant and had an excellent character. Being in his presence was a blessing. Whenever he heard the name of the Prophet of Allah (swt), he would be awe stricken, and his state would change." [2] Bihar al Anwar, V. 11, p. 109

* During the days of scarcity, when people tried to hoard food and other goods, Imam asked his household manager Trenchab, “ The price of corn is rising day by day. How much corn is there in our warehouse," Trenchab replied that the Imam should not worry as there was a large quantity of corn in store. The Imam replied, “ Give it away to the poor and let us face the situation along with others.” Then he ordered that pure white wheat flour should not be used in his kitchen, and should be mixed with equal quantity’s of oat flour. “ We must share misfortune with the needy and the poor as long as it takes."

* Ibn Khalikan relates a story about an anecdote that the Imam Ja’afar Sadiq (AS) had with his contemporary jurist of Kufa. The Imam asked, “ What would you say is the proper fine for one who breaks the front molars (Rubaiyat) of a deer”? Abu Hanifa answered, O’son of the Apostle of God I do not know the answer. To this the Imam replied, “ Can you then pretend to learning and scholarship when you do not know that a deer has no front molars, but only the incisors" (Thanaya).

* Good is from God and evil is from the deeds of men, “ whereas I say that men have no choice but both good and evil are from God.

* In the final judgment the devil suffers in the fire,” whereas I say that the fire will not burn him, in so much as the same material will not injure itself (the Devil being from fire) “

* It is impossible to see God in this world or the next, whereas I say that anyone who has existence may be seen, if not in this world, then in the next”. At this point Shaikh Buhlul who was one of Imam’s companions, but pretended to be a simple minded person, picked up a clod of earth and hit Abu Hanifa on the head, declaring as he made the hasty exit, that all three points are refuted. Abu Hanifa made a complaint about him to the caliph who called Buhlul before him and asked him, why did you throw the clod of earth at Abu Hanifa. He answered, “I did not throw it”. Abu Hanifa protested, “you did throw it” . But Buhlul replied, “ you yourself have maintained that evil is from God that men have no choice, so why do you blame me? And you have also said that the same material will not injure itself. The devil is from fire and fire of hell would not hurt him. Accordingly you are from dust of the earth, tell me how it could injure you? You have also claimed that you can see God as a proof of his existence. Show me the pain you are complaining about that exists in your head ?"
Abu Hanifa had no answer to that and he eventually agreed to what Imam Ja’afar Sadiq (AS) taught about these things.

* Nevertheless Abu Hanifa was highly respected by those friends of Ahlulbayt for they heartily endorsed a remark made by Abu Hanifa concerning Mansur and all such oppressors whether of the Banu Umayya or Banu Abbas. Abu Hanifa eloquently declared that if such men would build a Masjid and command him to the simple task of counting the bricks, he would not do it, “for they are dissolute (Fasiq) and the dissolute are not worthy of the authority of leadership (Majlisi,Tarikhul Aiemma). Ultimately Mansur heard this remark and cast Abu Hanifa into prison where he remained until his death. Abu Hanifa’s remarks were based on the Verse in the Qur'an (Surah II,V 118) where God said to Abraham,” I am about to make thee an Imam to mankind”, and Abraham asked, “of my offspring also”, but God answered, “My covenant embraceth not the idolaters”. On the question of the freedom of will (Irada) which was much under discussion at the time, the Imam taught, “that God has decreed some things for us and He has likewise decreed some things through our agency, What He decreed for us or on our behalf He has concealed from us, but what He has decreed through our agency He has revealed to us. We are not concerned, therefore, so much with what he has decreed for us, as we are with what he has decreed through our agency.”

* As to the question of the power (Qadr) of directing one’s own actions, the Imam took a middle position, which is neither compulsion (Jabr) nor committing (Tafviz) the choice to ourselves. He was accustomed to say in prayer,”O’ God, thine is the praise that I give thee, and to thee is the excuse if I sin against thee. There is no work of merit on my own behalf, or on behalf of another, and in evil there is no excuse for me or for another”.

* Yakubi in his Tarikh remarks in regard to Imam Ja’afar Sadiq (AS) that , “it was customary for scholars who related anything from him to say 'the learned one informed us'.” When we recall that Malik ibn Anas (94-179) the author of Mawatta was a contemporary of the Imam Ja’afar Sadiq (AS), at least a century before the time of Bukhari and Muslim, it is significant to find that it is the Imam Ja’afar Sadiq(AS) who is credited with stating what came to be regarded as the most significant and important principle to observe in judging traditions: “What is in agreement with the Book of God, accept it, and whatever is contrary, reject it”.

* Yakubi also relates another saying of the Imam as follows; "There are two friends, and whoever follows them will enter paradise”, Some one asked, “ Who are they?” He said, “The acceptance of that which you dislike when God likes it, and the rejection of that which you like when God dislikes it.”

* He had worn a signet ring with the inscription,“ God is my master and my defence from His creation.”

* It was a dark, cold night. Imam Sadiq (P.B.U.H.) was walking along carrying a heavy sack. "Where is Imam Sadiq going with this heavy sack?" I said to myself. "In this dark night perhaps he will find himself in danger. It is best for me to walk along with him and guard him."
I walked quietly along behind Imam Sadiq(P.B.U.H.), but I couldn't think where he was going or what he was carrying. We walked through a few lanes, and then I heard a noise. It
sounded as if Imam's sack had fallen to the ground. I heard Imam's voice as he prayed, "0 Lord, help me this dark night to find what I have lost."
I went closer to the Imam and could just see that the sack which he had been carrying on his back was lying on the ground. Imam was trying with his hands to gather all its contents. I came up to the Imam and greeted him. The Imam returned my greeting and. recognizing my voice, asked me, "Is it you. Mu'alla?"
"Yes, O son of the Prophet" I replied. "Will you let me help you?"
* The Imam had been carrying loaves of bread and
packets of food, and I helped him gather them and put them back in the sack. When the sack was full I asked him if he would allow me to carry it for him.
"No", he said. "it is more fitting for me to carry it. My grandfather the Prophet used to say that whoever doesn't think about the needs of the Muslims is not a Muslim, and that whoever sleeps at night with a full stomach while his neighbors are hungry is not a Muslim." Together we walked along until we came to the lodge of "Bani Sa'idah" where many poor people were living. Imam put his load on the ground and, quietly, without awakening anyone, began to distribute the food he had brought. He put the share of each person by the side of his head, and, without any one knowing who it was from, we quietly left.
God tells us in the Quran:
"Give to the poor and distribute from what We have provided you and render them needless, before the Day of Resurrection when you will be sorry for your hoarding of wealth. and you will be faced with a severe chastisement."

* Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (A.S.) was sadly touched by those events. When once the descendants of Imam Hasan ibn 'Ali (A.S.) were all fettered, shackled and banished from Madina, he watched their agony with a saddened heart from the roof top of his house. With flooded eyes he was heard saying: "OH! Medina is no more a sanctuary or a place of peace.." Then he expressed his sorrow for the inactive descendants of the Ansar thus:
"The early Madenites (Ansar) had invited the Holy Prophet to Madina under the oath that they would protect him and his descendants just as they would protect there own kith and kin. But today the descendants of those very Ansar act as silent onlookers and none stands up to protect the Prophet's offspring".
Having said those words, he returned to his house and fell ill, unable to move from bed for twenty days.

* No one thought that this friendship would ever end. They were always seen together. One of them was not even personally known to the people. They called him 'the friend of ..."
Yes, he was a friend of Imam Ja'far Sadiq (a.s.). One day, they entered a show market together. They entered as friends, but by the time they were out of the market, their relations had been permanently severed.
It so happened that Imam's friend was accompanied by his servant also. While Imam and he were advancing, the servant leisurely walked behind, looking at the shops and talking to his acquaintance. His master glanced behind him to find him, but there was no trace of him in sight. And finally he appeared.
The master had been provoked and as the servant appeared, he blurted an abuse. He abused the servant's mother before inquiring where he had been for so long.
Just as those words came out of his mouth, Imam Ja'far Sadiq (a.s.) regarded his friend with anger and loudly said: "Glory be to Allah! You have abused his mother, attributing to her an ignoble act. I thought you were a man of piety and God-fearing. It seems you have no semblance of any taqwa."
The friend said: "O Son of the Prophet! This servant is from Sind and so is his mother. You know very well that she was not even a Muslim and therefore if I attributed something ignoble to her, it would be appropriate."

* Imam (a.s.) said: "I know she was a non-Muslim. But every religion has its own laws and rules. If a non-Muslim marries according to the laws of his or her religion, no fornication is committed. Nor are the offspring's illegitimate."

* And then the Imam said: "This is the end of our friendship." No one ever saw them together again. Reference: Pearls of Wisdom. A String of Incidents in the History of Islam. The World Federation of Khoja Shia Ithna-Asheri Muslim Communities. Page 46.

* [Muhammad b. Abi Umayr reported on the authority of Hisham b. Salim on the authority of Abu Abd Allah, Jafar' b. Muhammad, peace be on them, who said:]'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)."

* [Aban b. 'Uthman reported on the authority of Abu-al-Sabbah al- Kinam, who said:] 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 [XXVIII 5].

* [Hisham b. Salim reported on the authority of Jabir b. Yazid al Jufi:]
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)."

* "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 Jafar, 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.
"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).

* "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?"

* 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."

* 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."

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

* It is reported that Dawud b. Ali b. Abd Allah b. Abbas killed al- Mualla b. Khunays, a retainer of Jafar b. Muhammad, peace be on them, and took his property. Ja'far, peace be on him, went to him while he was pulling at his cloak.
"You have killed my retainer and taken his property," (Jafar) said to him. "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."
"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: "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." It was not an hour before voices were raised in screeching (lamentation) and it was announced that Dawud b. Ali had just died. '-

* Abu Basir reported: I visited Medina and I had a young slave-girl with me. I had intercourse with her and then I went to the baths. But I met some of our colleagues of the Shia who were heading towards Jaefar b. Sadiq, peace be on them. I was afraid that they would get there before me and I would miss visiting him so I went with them to the house. When I stood before Abu Abd Allah (Jafar), peace be on him, he looked at me and said: "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.

* [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."

* [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 armor 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."

* [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.
I found (this written) in the handwriting of Abu al-Faraj 'Ali b. al- Husayn b. Muhammad al-Isfahani, in the text of his book known as Maqatil al-Talibiyin (the Martyrdoms of (the family of Abu) Talib):
Umar b. Abd Allah al-Atki informed me
Umar b. Shabba told us: Al-Fadl b. 'Abd al-Rahman al-Hashim and Ibn Daja told us:
Abu Zayd (Umar b. Shabba) (also) told me: Abd al-Rahman b. b. Amr b. Jabala told me: Al-Hasan b. Ayyub, retainer (mawla) of the Banu Numayr told me, on the authority of Abd al-Ala b. Ayan:
Ibrahlm b. Muhammad b. Abl al-Kiram al-Jafari told me, on the authority of his father:
Muhammad b. Yahya told me on the authority of Abd Allah b. Yahya:
Isa b. Abd Allah b. Muhammad b. Umar b. Ali told me on the authority of his father:
The account of some of them has been introduced into the account of the rest (as follows):
A group of the Banu Hashim met at al-Abwa'. Among them were Ibrahim b. Muhammad b. Ali b. Abd Allah b. Abbas and Abu Jafar al-Mansur, Salih. b. Ali, Abd Allah b. al-Hasan, with his two sons Muhammad and Ibrahim, and Muhammad b. Abd Allah b. 'Amr b. 'Uthman.
Salih. b. Ali addressed (them): "You know that you are the ones towards whom the people turn their eyes and that God has brought you together in this place. Therefore give a pledge of allegiance to one from among you, which you should give to him with (genuine dedication) of yourselves. Bind yourselves so that God may bring victory, for He is the best bringer of victory."

* 'Abd Allah b. al-Hasan praised and glorified God. Then he said: "You know that this son of mine is the Mahdi Therefore come, let us pledge allegiance to him."

* "Why are you deceiving yourselves?" demanded Abu- Ja'far. "By God you know that there is no one else to whom the people would take greater strides nor greater speed to answer than they would to this man," meaning Muhammad b. Abd Allah.
"True," they said, "this is he whom we acknowledge." So they all pledged allegiance to Muhammad and took him by the hand.

* [Isa reported:] Abd Allah b. al-Hasan's messenger came to my father, saying: "Come to us. We are gathered for an (important) affair." He sent (information) about that to Jafar b. Muhammad, peace be on them.

[Others, not including Isa, reported:] 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."

* [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."

* [They (i.e. the other authorities) reported:] 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 favor 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)."

* "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). "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.

* [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."

* [Abu al-Faraj reported: Ali b. al-Abbas al-Maqani told me: Bakkar b. Ahmad informed us: al-Hasan b. al-Husayn, on the authority of Anbasa b. Bijad' al-Abid told us:] 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."

* [Abu al-Qasim Ja'far b. Muhammad b. Qulawayh told me on the authority of Muhammad b. Ya'qub al-Kulayni, on the authority of 'Ali b. Ibrahim b. Hashim, on the authority of his father, on the authority of a group of his men (i.e. teachers), on the authority of Yunus b. Yaqub, who said:] I 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.

* "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. "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."

* [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!"

* 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."

* 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. 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. 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 atter 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, 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 traveled; 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," 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 famanta) in God," 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)."

* 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."

* [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, realizes 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 support."

* "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. "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 direct 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 realize 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.

* 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.

* 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. [VII 99]"

* (The poet) al-Sayyid Ismail b. Muhammad al-Himyari, may God have mercy on him, withdrew from the doctrine of the Kaysaniyya which he had professed, when he was informed of Abu CAbd Allah's peace be on him, denial of this doctrine and of his prayers for him and he (returned) to the system of the Imamate. He said of him, peace be on him:

* O (you) who ride a tall, strong camel to Medina, on which (you) cross every broad land,
If God guides you, you will look to Jaffer. So speak to the friend (wali) of God, the son of the man who was well-educated (in the learning of God): Friend of God and son of the friend of God, I repent before the Merciful and then I return To you from the wrong which I used to hold while I was constantly striving against all who obviously expressed (the truth). Yet my words concerning the son of Khawla were not meant to be rebellious against the offspring of the celebrated one. Rather they were spoken on the authority of the trustee (wasi) of Muhammad - and he was not a liar when we said That the master of the affair (Wali al-Amr) would disappear without being seen for years like a man afraid. The possessions of the missing man will be distributed as if his concealment were in the high heaven. Say, "No," and the truth is what you say, and what you say is final without me adding any fanaticism. I testify to my Lord that your words are a proof (hujja) to all creatures, whether obedient or sinful, That the master of the affair (Wali al-Aamr) and the one who will arise (Al-Qa'im) whom my soul (now) looks towards and who excites it to joy, That He will have concealment (Ghayba) where it is inevitable that he will conceal himself. May God bless him as one who will be concealed. He will delay for a time then his authority will come to dominate and he will fill all (the lands) from East to West with Justice.
In this poetry there is clear evidence for the withdrawal of al-Sayyid, may God have mercy on him, from the beliefs of the Kaysaniyya, and for his holding the doctrine of the Imamate of al-Sadiq, peace be on him. (There is also evidence) for the existence of a clear call on the part of the Shia during the time of Abu 'Abd Allah to (accept) his Imamate and to hold the doctrine of the concealment of the leader (for the rest) of time (saihib al-Zaman), the blessings and peace of God be on him. This (poem) is a clear indication of (al-Sayyid's belief) and it is a clear statement of (the doctrine of) the Twelver-Imamites (Imamiyya Ithna Ashariyya).

In the time of our 6th Imam, Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (A) there lived a young man called Zakariyya who had converted from Christianity to Islam. When Zakariyya went to Haj, he stopped at Madina to visit Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (A). On meeting the Imam (A), Zakariyya asked him how he should behave towards his father, mother and other family members who were still Christians.

* Imam (A) replied that Islam is a religion of mercy and kindness to all that has been created by Allah. Also Islam holds the rights of parents very highly.

* Imam (A) then advised the man to be even more kinder and more helpful to his mother than he had ever been.

When Zakariyya returned home, he was there even more than before for his mother. He listened to her and was kind to her and ever ready to help her. He gave her food and drink with his own hands. He washed her and her clothes and kept the house tidy. And when he was free he would sit and chat with her and cheer her up.
His mother was very surprised and asked Zakariyya what had made him become so kind towards her.
Zakariyya explained that his Imam, our 6th Imam, had told him to act in this way.
His mother wanted to know what else the religion of Islam had taught her son.
Zakariyya sat with his mother to tell her all about the teachings of Islam and when he had finished, his mother became a Muslim too.
Moral: Always behave with good Akhlaq towards other people. If they can see for themselves what decent children you are then they will want to find out more about Islam.
Never forget the rights of your parents.

* In the time of our 6th Imam, Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (A) there was once a wheat shortage in Madina. As a result the people of Madina were buying as much wheat as they could afford. There were some people who were quite poor and could only afford to buy enough wheat for that day. These people had to pay a little bit more for the wheat each day because there was less and less wheat available. Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (A) asked his servant how much wheat they had in the house. The servant replied that they had enough to last them for several months.

* Imam (A) then told the servant to take the wheat to the market and sell it all to the people.
The servant argued that if he did this then they probably would not be able to buy all the wheat back and also they would have to pay a lot more for it.

* Imam (A) told him that it did not matter. He told him that after he had sold all the wheat he should only buy enough wheat for each day.

* Imam (A) also told his servant that from then on the bread in his house should be made from ½ wheat and ½ barley.
Moral: Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (A) did this because he did not want to live in a better manner while so many people were hungry. Islam does not allow hoarding.

* One day when our 6th Imam, Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (A) was walking down a street he saw that some people had thrown the food that they could not eat onto the street.

* Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (A) was very sad to see this. He told the people that what they had done was very wrong because there were so many people in the world who are hungry as they have no food.

* Our Holy Prophet, Prophet Muhammad (S) has told us that if you do not think about the needs of other Muslims then you are not a Muslim.
This is why Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq used to go out in the middle of the cold dark nights to give food to the poor.
Moral: You should never take more than you need of anything.You should always think about other people, especially Muslims, who have not got as much as you have.

* A Muslim who puts in endeavours to materialize the desire of his brother is like someone who performs holy war (Jehad) on the way to God.

* Our intercession will not be extended to the one who is careless in performing prayers.

* The fruit (result) of love and attachment with the world is inconvenience, trouble and sorrow and the result of piety and purity in the world is the comfort of body and soul.

* How indecent is it that the powerful ones take revenge from the weak.

* Be benevolent to your father and mother so that your children may as well be benevolent to you.

* It is reported that the sixth Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq(A.S.) said:
"Fatimah(A.S.) has nine names with Allah. They are: Fatimah, as-Siddiqah (the Righteous), al-Mubarakah (the Blessed), at-Tahirah (the Pure), az-Zakiyyah (the Unblemished), arRadiyah (the one content with Allah's pleasure), al-Mardiyyah (the one pleasing to Allah), al-Muhaddathah (the one spoken to by angels) and az-Zahirah (the Luminous). In the Musnad (collection of transmitted hadiths) of the eighth Imam Reza(A.S.), it is reported that the Holy Prophet(S.A.W.) declared: "I named my daughter Fatimah because Allah weaned her.

* The Holy Prophet(S.A.W.) also called her al-Batul (pure virgin), and said to `A'ishah: "O Humayra' (a redish white, a well-known epithet of `A'ishah), Fatimah is not like the women of human kind, nor does she suffer the illness you (women) suffer! " This is explained in another prophetic tradition which asserts that she never menstruated. It is likewise reported by Sunni traditionists on the authority of Anas ibn Malik, who heard Umm Salim, the wife of Abu Talhah al-Ansari, say: "Fatimah never experienced the blood of menstruation or parturition, for she was created from the waters of Paradise." This is because when the Messenger of Allah was transported to heaven, he entered Paradise, where he ate of its fruits and drank its water.

* Proofs Of Her `Ismah (Sinlessness), Some Of The Signs Proving Her Status With Allah, And Traditions Indicating Her Excellence And Exalted Status

* One of the most incontrovertible proofs of Fatimah's sinlessness is Allah's saying: Surely Allah wishes to keep away all abomination from you, O People of the House, and purify you with a great purification [our. 33 : 33 ] . The argument in favour of this, is that the Muslim community has unanimously agreed that the `People of the House' (i.e., Ahlu'l-Bayt), intended in this verse are the People of the Household of the Messenger of Allah. Traditions (ahadith) of both the Shi`i and Sunni communities have asserted that this verse particularly refers to 'Ali(A.S.), Fatimah(A.S.), Hasan(A.S.) and Husayn(A.S.) The Holy Prophet(S.A.W.), moreover, spread over them all one day a Khaybarite mantle and prayed: "O Allah, these are the People of my Household, keep away all abomination from them and purify them with a great purification!" Umm Salamah said: "I too, O Apostle of Allah, am of the People of your House!" He answered: "Your lot shall be good!"

* The Divine Will expressed in this verse must by necessity be either an abstract will not implemented by an action, or a will accompanied by an action. The first option is untenable because it implies no particular applicability to the People of the Prophet's House; such a will is shared by all obligated (mukallafin) human beings. Nor is abstract will by itself cause for praise. The entire community has concurred on the view that this verse proclaims the excellence of the People of the Prophet's House over all others, and that the verse refers to them alone. Thus the second option (that the Divine Will referred to in the verse is a will accompanied by action) is true, and in it is clear proof of the sinlessness of those who were intended in the verse. It implies further that it is impossible for them to commit any evil action. Moreover, any others whom we have not named here are no doubt not held by general consensus as possessing `ismah (protection from error). Thus since the verse necessarily implies sinless ness it must apply to them (the People of the Prophet's House), because it pertains to no other individuals.

* Another proof of Fatimah's sinless ness is the Holy Prophet's saying concerning her: "Fatimah (A.S.) is part of me. Whatever causes her hurt, hurts me." He also said: "Whoever hurts Fatimah (A.S.), hurts me, and whoever hurts me, hurts Allah, exalted be His Majesty! " The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) said further: "Allah becomes wrathful for Fatimah's anger, and is pleased at her pleasure.".

* Imam Jafar As-Sadiq (a.s.) said: "Fatima has nine names near Allah (Exalted be His Name), they are: Fatima, Siddiqah (the honest), Al-Mubarakah (the blessed one), At-Tahirah (virtuous), Az-Zakiyah (the chaste), Ar-Radhiatul Mardhiah (she who is gratified and who shall be satisfied), Al-Muhaddathah (a person, other than a prophet, that the angels speak to), and Az-zahraa (the splendid)."

* It is reported in Bihar, V. 10, that Imam Abu Jafar Al-Baqir (a.s.) said: "When Fatima was born, Allah (Exalted is His Name) revealed to an angel to speak the name Fatima with Muhammad's tongue. Allah then said: 'I have bestowed knowledge upon you and safeguarded you from menstruation."' Then Abu Jafar (a.s.) added: "By Allah, Allah (Blessed and Exalted in His Name) bestowed knowledge on her and safeguarded her from menstruation with the convenant." It is narrated from Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) said to Fatima: 'O Fatima, do you know why you have been named Fatima?' Ali said: 'O Messenger of Allah, why was she named Fatima?' He (s.a.w.): 'Because Allah will surely safeguard her and her progeny from the Fire on the Day of Resurrection."' Fatima's name was dear to Ahlul Bayt (a.s.), they respected the name and those who held it.

* For instance, Imam Jafar as-Sadiq (a.s.) inquired from one of his companions about the name to be given to his newborn daughter, the man replied: "I named her Fatima."

* Imam Sadiq then said: "Fatima?! May peace of Allah be upon Fatima. Now that you have given her the name Fatima, refrain from slapping or abusing her, rather honor her."

Imam Sadiq (A) quoted Jabir Ibn Abdullah Al-Ansari as saying:
"One day when we had finished the Asr prayer with the Messenger of Allah an old Arab immigrant man, who was wearing worn-out clothes and was barely able to walk because of his old age and weakness came by. The Prophet asked the old man about his affair; the old man answered:
`Prophet of Allah I am starving, so feed me, I am naked, so clothe me, and poor, so help me The Prophet then said: `Surely I find nothing to give you. Yet, he who guides to goodness is equal to him who performs it. So go to the house of she who loves Allah and His Messenger, and Allah and His Messenger love her. The one who prefers Allah over herself I mean Fatima.'
Fatima's house was near the Prophet's house. He asked Bilal to lead the man to her house. When the old man reached the house, he cried out:
`Peace be upon you, O household of prophethood, the (dwellers of the place where) angels frequently visit, where Gabriel-the holy spirit-descends to bring what the Lord of the Worlds reveals.'
Fatima said: `Peace be upon you; who are you?'
The old Beduin answered: `I am an old Arab man; I have immigrated to your father, The Master of mankind, from a distant place. Daughter of Muhammad, I am hungry and in need of clothing, so console me-may Allah bless you.'
When this occurred, the Prophet, Ali, and Fatima had not eaten for three days. Yet, Fatima gave him a tanned ram skin, which was used as Al-Hassan and Al-Hussain's bed.
Then Fatima told the poor man: `Take this, may Allah substitute it for you by a better gift by selling it.'
The old man replied: Daughter of Muhammad, I complain to you of hunger and you give me a ram's skin? How can I eat with this?'
When Fatima heard what the old man had to say, she gave him the necklace, which was given to her by Fatima Bint Hamza Ibn Abd al-Muttalib.
The old man took the necklace and went to the Mosque to meet the Prophet who was sitting in the presence of his companions. He went to the Prophet and said: `Messenger of Allah, Fatima Bint Muhammad gave me this necklace and said: `Sell it, for Allah will grant you a solution to your problem.'
When the Prophet heard what the man had to say, he cried and said: `Indeed, Allah will grant you a solution, for Fatima Bint Muhammad, the Mistress of all women gave you this necklace.'
Meanwhile, Ammar Ibn Yasir (may Allah bless his soul) said: `Messenger of Allah, do I have your permission to buy this necklace?'
The Prophet answered: `Buy it Ammar, surely if all of mankind and Jinn participate in buying it Allah will not torture them in Hellfire.'
Ammar said: `How much do you want for it?'
The old Beduin said: A meal of bread and meat, a Yemeni shirt to cover my private parts and to perform my prayers in front of my Lord, and a dinar so I can return to my family.'

Ammar, who had just sold his share of booty from the battle of Khaibar, told the man: I will give you twenty (20) dinars, two hundred (200) dirhams, a Yemeni shirt, my horse to take you home, and your need of wheat bread and meat.'
The old then said: `What a generous man you are!!'
When Ammar had fulfilled his promise to the old man, the later came back to the Prophet (S) who said: Are you satisfied and clothed?'
The old man said: Yes, and I have become rich; may my father and mother be your sacrifice.'
The Prophet (S) then said: `So reward Fatima for her kindness.'
The old man supplicated: `O Allah, surely You are our God whenever we ask You;
`We have no other God to worship besides you;
'You are the one who grants us beneficence in all conditions;'
`O Allah, grant Fatima that which no eye has ever seen, and ear has ever heard ....'
During that time, Ammar had perfumed the necklace with mush wrapped it in a Yemeni shirt, and gave it to one of his slaves by the name of Sahm, who he had bought with the money that he had received for selling his share of the Khaibarian booty. He told Sahm:
`Take this necklace and give it to the Messenger of Allah (S) and tell him that I give you to him also.'
When Sahm had delivered the message, the Prophet (S) said: `Take the necklace to Fatima and I give you to her also.' When the slave had told Fatima the message, she (A) took the necklace and told the slave that he was free.
Upon hearing Fatima, Sahm laughed, so Fatima asked him about the reason that made him laugh. He answered: `I smiled when I thought of the abundance of goodness put in this necklace; it fed a hungry man, clothed a naked man, satisfied a poor man, freed a slave and came back to its original owner." The author of the book Bisharat A-Moustafa was quoted by Al-Bihar v.10

* Bihar v.10: It is reported in Al-Kafi that Imam Sadiq (A) said:
'Once, Fatima approached Allah's Messenger with a problem. The Prophet listened to her problem and gave her a wrapped piece of material and said: `Learn that which is written in it.' (When she opened it) she found written in it:
"He who believes in Allah and the Last Day, shall not harm his neighbor.
He who believes in Allah and the Last Day, shall honor his guest.
He who believes in Allah and the Last Day shall say that which is useful or keep silent.'"

One of the most incontrovertible proofs of Fatimah's (as) sinlessness is Allah's (swt) saying: Surely Allah wishes to remove all abomination from you, O People of the House, and purify you with a great purification [Qur. 33:33] . The argument in favor of this, is that the Muslim community has unanimously agreed that the 'People of the House' (i.e. ahlul-bayt (as)), intended in this verse are the People of the Household of the Messenger of Allah (saaw). Traditions (ahadith) of both the Shi'i and Sunni communities have asserted that this verse particularly refers to Ali (as), Fatimah (as), Hasan (as) and Husayn (as). The Prophet (saaw), moreover, spread over them all one day a Khaybarite mantle and prayed: "O Allah (swt), these are the People of my Household, remove all abomination from them and purify them with a great purification!" Umm Salamah said: "I too, O Apostle of Allah (saaw), am of the People of your House!" He answered: "Your lot shall be good!"

* Imam Sadiq (A) said: "Beads should be made with blue thread and thirty four (34) beads, which was the way Fatima's beads were made after Hamza's martyrdom

* Al-Majlisi (May Allah bless his soul) narrated in Bihar that Imam Sadiq (A) said:
"The Messenger of Allah entered his house to find Aisha yelling at Fatima, saying:
`By Allah, O Khadija's daughter, you feel that your mother was better than us; but what favor does she have above us? Is she not saved like us?'
The Prophet (S) heard Aisha's shouting. When Fatima saw him, she began to cry; the Prophet (S) then said:
`What makes you cry, O daughter of Muhammad?'
Fatima said: 'Aisha degraded my mother, and this has caused me to cry.'
The Messenger of Allah (S) angrily said: `Hush, O Humaira (reddish woman)!! Surely Allah (Exalted is His Name) blessed this devoted and fertile woman; and Khadija (may Allah bless her soul) gave birth to my children, Al-Tahir (Abdullah) who was purified and A1-Qasim; but Allah has created you with a sterile womb so you do not give birth to any children."

* It is reported that the sixth Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq(a.s.) said:
"Fatimah(a.s.) has nine names with Allah. They are: Fatimah, as-Siddiqah (the Righteous), al-Mubarakah (the Blessed), at-Tahirah (the Pure), az-Zakiyyah (the Unblemished), arRadiyah (the one content with Allah's pleasure), al-Mardiyyah (the one pleasing to Allah), al-Muhaddathah (the one spoken to by angels) and az-Zahirah (the Luminous). In the Musnad (collection of transmitted hadiths) of the eighth Imam Reza(a.s.), it is reported that the Holy Prophet(pbuh&hf) declared: "I named my daughter Fatimah because Allah weaned her.

* The Holy Prophet(pbuh&hf) also called her al-Batul (pure virgin), and said to `A'ishah: "O Humayra' (a redish white, a well-known epithet of `A'ishah), Fatimah is not like the women of human kind, nor does she suffer the illness you (women) suffer! " This is explained in another prophetic tradition which asserts that she never menstruated. It is likewise reported by Sunni traditionists on the authority of Anas ibn Malik, who heard Umm Salim, the wife of Abu Talhah al-Ansari, say: "Fatimah never experienced the blood of menstruation or parturition, for she was created from the waters of Paradise." This is because when the Messenger of Allah was transported to heaven, he entered Paradise, where he ate of its fruits and drank its water.

* Bihar v. 10-Imam Sadiq (A) reported that Fatima (A) said: "When the following verse was revealed: 'Deem not Summons of the Apostle among yourselves like the summons of one of you to another,' (24: 63)
'I feared to call the Messenger of Allah, `Father'; so I began calling him Messeenger of Allah. He ignored me two or three times and finally said:
'Fatima, this verse was not revealed about you or your family, nor does it include your progeny; for you are from me and I am from you. Rather, this verse was revealed regarding the vain and crude Quraishans who are arrogant and spendthrifts. Call me Father; it surely is better for the heart and more satisfying to the Lord.'"

* 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."

* It was mentioned in v.10 of Al-Bihar that Abu Basir quoted Imam Sadiq (A) as saying:
'Allah, the Exalted, forbade Ali (A) from marrying women while Fatima was still alive."

* Abu Basir exclaimed: "Why was that?" The Imam replied: "Because she was pure and does not menstruate."

* Many traditions have already been mentioned, which attest to the fact that she was conceived of heavenly food, and that Fatima was a human huri. There is not exaggeration in this expression, rather, stating that Fatima was always virgin, is nothing but the absolute truth. Besides the narrations that verify this fact, the Holy Quran states:
"We have created (the huri) of special creation; and made them virgin pure (and undefiled)." (56: 35-36)
This clarifies that huris are always virgins. Majma al-Bayan explains this verse as follows: "(What is meant by virgin pure) is that whenever their husbands come near them (have sexual intercourse with them), they find them virgins."
Imam Sadiq (A) was asked: "How can a huri always be a virgin (no matter how many times her husband comes near her)?"
The Imam (A) answered: "Because (huris) are created from pure goodness where no blight can alter them, nor does decrepitude inflict them... menstruation does not pollute them..."

* 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."

* Bihar v.10: Imam Ja'far Ibn Muhammad (A) and Jabir Ibn Abdullah al-Ansari said:
"Once the Prophet saw Fatima wearing a cloak of camel skin while grinding (grain) with her hands; and holding her child. Tears came from the Prophet's eyes and he said:
'Daughter! bear with the hardships of this world and later you will enjoy the blessings of the Hereafter.'
Fatima replied: `Messenger of Allah, praise be to Allah for His benefactions and thanks be to Him for his gifts.' (It was then that) Allah revealed:
"And soon will the Guardian-Lord give thee (that wherewith) thou shalt be well pleased."

* It is narrated from Imam Rida [a] that Imam Sadiq [a], in answer to a woman who wanted not to marry in order to gain a great virtue, said: "Do not do that, because if it was a virtue, Fatimah (May God bless her and give her peace) would be more competent than you, and, surely, there is none (of women) who can excel her in any virtue." Reference: Bihar-ul-Anwar, vol. 103, p. 219

* ((Allaah has declined to run the affairs of creation except through [their] causes[14].)).

* ((Imam Saadiq narrates: My father [Imam Baqir] said to Jaabir ibn ^cAbdollaah al-Ansaari: I need to ask you something in private, what time is suitable for you?

Jaabir answered him: Any time you like. So my father asked him: O Jaabir! Tell me about the tablet you saw in the hands of my mother Fatima, Daughter of Rasoolollaah, and what she told you, and what was written on that tablet.

Jaabir said: I take Allah as my witness, I went to your mother Fatima during the life of Rasoolollaah to congratulate her on the birth of Hussein, and saw in her hand a green tablet which I thought was of emerald; and I saw on it a writing in white similar to sunlight. So I told her: My parents be your sacrifice O Daughter of Rasoolollaah! What is this tablet?

She said: Allah, the Great and Almighty, gave this to His Messenger. In it, there is my father’s name, and my husband’s name, and my two sons’ names, and the names of the awseyaa’[233] in my lineage. So my father gave it to me.

Then your mother Fatima gave it to me, so I read and copied it.

Then my father said to him: O Jaabir! Can you show it to me?

Jaabir said: Yes. So they both walked to Jaabir’s home, where he gave my father a scroll. But my father said: O Jaabir! Look in your scroll while I read it to you [from myself].

So Jaabir looked in his scroll and my father read; and he did not make any mistakes.

Jaabir said: I take Allah as my witness, I surely saw on the tablet exactly as you said.

It was written: In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful. This is a written message from Allah, the Great, the Wise, to Mohammad, His Light, and His Ambassador, and His Mediator, and His Guide. It is conveyed by Rooh al-Ameen[234], from the Lord of the nations.

Glorify O Mohammad! My names; and be thankful for My material gifts, and do not deny My immaterial gifts[235].

Indeed I am Allah, there is no God but Me. Breaker of the despots; and Destroyer of the haughty; and Humiliater of the tyrants; and Rewarder and Punisher of the Day of Reward and Punishment.

Indeed I am Allah, there is no God but Me. So whomsoever wishes other than My Favor, or fears from other than My Punishment, I shall subject him to a punishment to which I do not subject any person. So it is Me you should worship, and on Me you should depend.

I have surely not sent a prophet whose days completed and whose time finished except that I chose a wasi for him. And I have surely favored you over the prophets, and favored your Wasi over the awseyaa’. And I have given you your two sons Hasan and Hosayn[236] as a present (to become imam) after him.

Thus I made Hasan the source of my knowledge after his father’s time expired.

And made Hussein the keeper of my revelation, and gifted him with martyrdom, and finished it for him with glory. So he is the best of those who were martyred, and the highest martyr to Me. I put My Word and Conclusive Proof with him. By his lineage I reward and punish.

The first of them (Hussein's lineage) is ^cAli, master of the worshipers, and the jewel of my servants.

And his son looks very much like his grandfather Mahmood[237]. Mohammad, the splitter of My knowledge, and the source of My wisdom.

The doubtful will soon go astray in Ja^cfar. Whomsoever refuses Ja^cfar, refuses me. I will most definitely make precious Ja^cfar’s stature, and I will most definitely make him happy in his followers and supporters and friends.

And after him, I chose Moosaa, in a difficult test, and blind severe darkness. Because the line of My instruction shall not be cut, and My proof shall not be hidden, and My friends shall not ever go astray. Beware! Whomsoever denies any one of them, he has surely denied My bliss; and whoever changes an aayah from My Book, he has surely fabricated against Me.

And woe unto the fabricating deniers when the time of My servant and friend and My chosen one Moosaa finishes. Beware! Whomsoever accuses the Eighth of lying is indeed accusing all of my friends of lying. ^cAli is My friend and My supporter, and is he on whom I shall put the burdens of the prophet hood, and test him with carrying it. He will be killed by a deceitful haughty; he will be buried in the city that was built by the righteous servant Thol-Qarnayn[238] alongside my worst creature[239].

It is a foregone promise; I shall make him extremely happy with Mohammad, his son and his khaleefah after him. For he is the inheritor of My knowledge, and the source of My wisdom, and the keeper of My secret, and My proof over My creatures; I make Heaven his home, and make him the intercessor for seventy thousand of his lineage, all of whom should indeed go to Hell.

And I shall finish him with glory with his son ^cAli, My defender and supporter, and the witness among My creatures, and My trustee over My revelation.

I shall create from him the one who calls to My way, and the holder of my knowledge Hasan.

Then I shall complete it with his son, mercy for the creatures of this world. He shall have the perfection of Moosaa[240], and the magnificence of ^cEesaa[241], and the patience of Ayyoob[242]. My defenders will be humiliated in his era; and their heads will be exchanged as gifts just as the heads of the Turks and the Daylam[243] are exchanged as gifts. They will be killed and burnt; and they will be frightened, terrorized, apprehensive; the earth will be painted with their blood, and grief and resonance will spread in their families. They are truly My friends; by them I push away every blind dark test; and by them I lift the earthquake; and remove from them their burdens and the shekels, “Those are they on whom are Blessings and Mercy from their Lord, and these are the followers of the right course”[244]/[245].)).

* They also narrate from Rasoolollaah’s sixth khaleefah, Imam Saadiq, who said: ((Al-Dhekr has two meanings: The Holy Qur’an, and Mohammad; and we are Ahl al-Dhekr by both definitions[52].)).

* It has been narrated from Imam Saadiq, who said: ((Indeed, she was named Fatima, because the creatures were kept away from knowing her[1].)).[1] Behaar al-Anwaar / al-Majlesi = vol. 43, page 65. Tafseer / For aat al-Koofi = page 581.

* Imam Sadiq has narrated from his fathers a zeyaarah[102] about Fatima, a part of which is as follows: ((…Peace be upon you O oppressed! The one whose right was taken from her…[103])).

* In a lengthy conversation between Mofaddal ibn ^cOmar and Imaam Saadiq^(AS)[106], during which Mofaddal asked a number of questions evolving around Imaam Mahdi^(AS)[107], Imaam Saadiq pointed to some of Faatimah’s sufferings. Some related excerpts are as follows: ((…And setting fire to the door of Ameer al-Mo’meneen, Faatimah, Hasan and Hosayn to burn them, and lashing the hand of the Great Seddeeqah Faatimah with the whip, and kicking her stomach causing the miscarriage of Mohassin…Then Faatimah complains [to Rasoolollaah] about what came to her from Aboo Bakr and ^cOmar, and about the usurpation of Fadak… And he (Aboo Bakr) says that the prophets do not leave inheritance… And ^cOmar says: Bring out your document which you mentioned your father had written for you, and then he takes it from her, spits on it and tears it in the presence of witnesses from the Qoraysh and the Mohaajireen and the Ansaar…And she tells him (Rasoolollaah) about Aboo Bakr and his ordering Khaalid ibn al-Waleed, Qonfodh and ^cOmar ibn al-Khattaab along with a large number of people to forcefully extract Ameer al-Mo’meneen from his home to giving his allegiance in the gathering place of Bani Saa^cedah tribe…And what ^cOmar says: Come out O ^cAli! and accept what the groups of Moslems have accepted, or we will kill you… And their gathering firewood to burn the house of Ameer al-Mo’meneen, Faatimah, Hasan, Hosayn, Zaynab, Omm Kolthoom[108] and Feddah[109], and putting fire to the door. And Faatimah coming behind the door to speak with them, saying: Woe unto you O ^cOmar! What is this boldness towards Allah and His Messenger?! Do you intend to severe his lineage from this world, and vanish him and extinguish the Light of Allah?!…And ^cOmar saying: That is enough O Faatimah! Mohammad is no longer present, and the angels are no longer bringing commands and prohibitions from Allaah, and ^cAli is none other than just another Moslem; so either he pledges allegiance to Aboo Bakr or you will all burn. So she says crying: O Allah! To You we complain about the loss of Your Prophet and Your Messenger and Your Sincere Friend, and about the turning of his nation against us, and their usurping of our right which You had given us in Your Book that was revealed to Your Prophet. Then ^cOmar says to her: Keep away O Fatima! from the stupidity of women, for surely Allah was not to choose for you the prophecy and the khelaafah. And so the fire was burns the door…And ^cOmar lashes her upper arm with the whip until it leaves a black mark like an armlet, and kicks the door until it hits her stomach when she is six month pregnant with Mohassin, and his miscarriage. And ^cOmar’s attack along with Qonfodh and Khaalid, and slapping her face so hard that her earring is torn from her ear, while she weeps loudly and says: O my father! O Rasoolollaah! Your daughter Fatima is being accused of lying, and is being beaten and the fetus in her womb is being killed. And Ameer al-Mo’meneen comes out, bareheaded with red eyes, spreads his wrap over her, holds her to his chest, and says to her: O Daughter of Rasoolollaah! You have surely known that your father was sent by Allah to be a mercy for the creatures; so I swear to you in the name of Allah, I swear to you in the name of Allah not to move back your veil and raise your forehead [to pray to Allah to send a calamity on the people], so by Allah O Fatima! If you do this, Allah won’t keep on the earth anyone who bares witness that Mohammad is the Messenger of Allah and nor Moosaa, ^cEesaa, Ebraaheem, Nooh and Aadam, and no animal will walk the earth and no bird will fly in the sky. Then he (Ali) says: O son of al-Khattaab! Woe unto you, leave here before I unsheathe my sword and kill. So ^cOmar, Khaalid, Qonfodh and ^cAbdorrahmaan ibn Abi Bakr leave and stay outside the house. So ^cAli calls out to Feddah: O Feddah! Your mistress, come to her, as she has gone into labor because of the kick and the pushing of the door. Thus she miscarries Mohassin, and Ameer al-Mo’meneen says: He is joining his grandfather Rasoolollaah, and will complain to him[110].)). [106] ^cAlayhes Salaam, peace be upon him.[107] ^cAlayhes Salaam, peace be upon him.[108] Zaynab and Omm Kolthoom were the two daughters of ^cAli and Fatima.[109] Feddah was Fatima's student and housemaid.[110] Behaar al-Anwaar / al-Majlesi = vol. 53, excerpts from pages 14 to 19.

* "Hasan bin Ali (a.s.) was certainly the most true worshipper, ascetic and merited man among the people of his time." Rawdhat al-Wa'ideen (Orchard of the Preachers) mentions
that whenever "Hasan would do his ablution, he would tremble and his face would turn pale. He was asked about it, and he replied: 'It is only natural that one who stands in the
presence of the Lord of the Throne turns ashen, and trembles...'"

* Imam al-Sadiq (a.s.) is also reported to have said: "Hasan bin Ali (a.s.) had certainly gone to hajj twenty-five times on foot. He shared his property with Allah twice...or three times."

* The imams of Ahlul Bayt also encouraged ‘Majalis’. They encouraged the poets of the time to compose poetry commemorating the event. When Imam al-Sadiq was visited by Fidhayl, a companion and poet, he asked him, “Do you ever organize ‘majalis’ in commemoration of Imam Husain?” Al-Fudhayl with tearful eyes responded, “Yes we do O’son of the holy prophet”. The Imam then said, “May Allah bless you, I highly approve of such ‘majalis’”.

* On another occasion, Jafar ibn Iffan recited some verses about Karbala to Imam al-Sadiq. The imam wept uncontrollably and addressed him, “O’Iffan, do not think that it is only those whom you can see here are listening to your poetry. In fact Allah’s closest angels are present here at this ‘majlis’, they are all listening to your recitation, and they too lament and weep. May Allah bless you for what you have recited. He will inshallah reward you with paradise for your efforts on our behalf”.

* Indeed Master of the martyrs (Imam Hussain (PBUH)) devoted all he had to the path of his Lord. How delicate Imam Sadiq (PBUH) states his divine motive in a part of the supplication of Arba’een: “(O’ Allah I give witness that) he fought in Your way patiently, and (while) having only You in his mind; until, in Thy obedience, his blood was shed…”

* There are equally authentic traditions of Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq ('a) and Imam 'Ali al-Rida ('a) exhorting their followers regarding the observance of mourning in remembrance of Imam Husayn ('a) and his companions as a means of redemption. In traditions ascribed to the Prophet (S), Fatimah ('a) and the Imams ('a) of the Prophet's family there is another significant aspect to be taken note of. A recurring theme that characterizes them is that not only the prophets and the angles mourned the martyrdom of Imam Husayn and his companions, but also the whole cosmos mourned this tragedy. Strong winds began to blow on that tenth of Muharram and when the Imam was beheaded after he fell in the field of battle, there arose tides in rivers and oceans as if they would flood the entire earth, the stars collided, the sun was eclipsed, mountains moved from their places and the seven heavens rained blood, as blood gushed forth from the ground. Such descriptions of the effect of Imam Husayn's martyrdom on the whole order of being persuade his devotees to participate in a mourning ritual that encompasses all the natural and supernatural realms. If not taken literally, these traditions may be treated as metaphorical expressions of a tragedy possessing cosmic dimensions. There is no doubt that these traditions served as the source of inspiration for the devotees and made them feel one with the whole universe and its purpose.

* sixth Imam, Ja'far Sadiq A.S. It is reported that his companion al-Fudhayl Ibne Yasaar came to pay his respects to the Holy Imam. After the exchange of usual courtesies, Imam asked al-Fudhayl: "Do you people ever organize majaalis to recall the martyrdom of Imam Hussain?" Al-Fudhayl, with tears pouring down his eyes, replied: "Yabna Rasulillah, indeed we do." The Imam said: "May Allah bless you. I highly approve of such majaalis."

* "When Imam Husain (A) came to the Holy Prophet (S), he looked at him, hugged him and said: 'Martyrdom of Husain will generate such a fire in the hearts of believers which will never be extinguished.' Then he said' My parents be sacrificed for him who is the fountain-head of all mourning'. When the companions asked 'What does it mean?' He replied 'That no believer will remember him but mourning and weeping.'

* Hazrat Imam Sadiq (A) said: "When Imam Husain (A) came to the Holy Prophet (S), he looked at him, hugged him and said: 'Martyrdom of Husain will generate such a fire in the hearts of believers which will never be extinguished.' Then he said' My parents be sacrificed for him who is the fountain-head of all mourning'. When the companions asked 'What does it mean?' He replied 'That no believer will remember him but mourning and weeping.'

* As well Imam Sadiq (as) said that the meaning of ‘ayatinna’ the verses is ‘a’immah’ the imams.

* Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: Once, Um Ayman's neighbors came to the Prophet and said: "Messenger of Allah, Um Ayman did not sleep last night because of crying; she surely cried until morning."
The Prophet summoned her and said:
"Um Ayman, your neighbors say that you spent the night crying may Allah not cause your eyes to cry!! What made you cry?"
She answered: "Messenger of Allah, I had a fearful dream which caused me to cry all night long."
The Prophet (p.b.u.h) said: "Tell me your dream, for surely Allah and His Messenger are most knowledgeable."
She said: "Last night I saw a dream as if one of your limbs was thrown in my house!!"
The Messenger of Allah (a.s) said: "Your eyes have slept, but you visioned a good thing. Um Ayman, Fatima will give birth to Al-Hussein, and you will bring him to me. So one of my limbs will be in your house"
When AI-Hussain was born, Um Ayman brought him to the Prophet (p.b.u.h) who said: "Both the carrier and he who is being carried are welcome. Urn Ayman, this is the interpretation of your dream."

* [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.

* [Abd Allah b. Maymun al-Qaddah reported on the authority of Jafar b. Muhammad al-Sadiq, peace be on them, who said:] 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.

* "Faithful is the brother of faithful just like one single body, (so that ) if one part of it has a complaint the entire body feels & receives the pain & trouble. And their souls are from a single soul. And indeed the tie & connection of faithful's soul to the soul of Allah is more powerful & strengthier then the connection of the rays of sun with it"

* Abi Baseer says: I heard from Imam Sadiq (a.s.): A free man is a free man under all circumstances. If he is in trouble he is patient, calamities do not break him even if he is imprisoned and overpowered and put in difficulties. Hence, imprisonment and slavery could not harm the honors Yusuf (a.s.). Darkness and fright of a well could not put him to loss until Allah made him His messenger and pitied the nation because of him. Patience and forbearance is like this. It always results in good. So be patient and tolerant so as to see its reward.

* Forbearance is for faith what a head is for a body. One who has no patience has no faith

* Imam Sadiq (a.s.) says: Many a time, one hour of forbearance and patience brings a long happiness and how often an hour of lust results in a lengthy sorrow.

* Imam Sadiq (a.s.) said: Verily a slave has his own place and status in the sight of Allah where he does not reach through his deeds. Then Allah puts him in some trouble either physically or monetarily or in a family related matter. Thereafter through patience he reaches that status.

* Husayn, the son of Bishar wrote to Musa the son of Jaffar (Pbuh) "One of my relatives who is ill-tempered has requested to marry with my daughter". The Imam responded "Do not marry her to him if he is a wrong doer." [Bihar al-Anwar, v.103, p.235]

* Hazrat Imam Sadiq (Pbuh) strictly forbade marrying off one?s daughters to fools and the ignorant ones - who cannot be trusted in social and personal affairs and those who cannot be entrusted with property- based on verse 5 of the Chapter Nisaa of the Holy Quran. [Marriage in Islam, pp.54-55]

* Verily those who do not adhere to God's obligatory acts, will not avoid sexual deviations. Those who do not have good morality, and are ill-tempered; and those who do not have a right mind and intellect; and those who are so weak that they cannot stop drinking alcoholic beverages are not suited to be entrusted with a believing pious young woman who is entrusted to us by God. If so, not only will the young woman will be spoiled, but her children too will be influenced by the man?s ill effects. This fact has been stated by the sixth Imam (Pbuh) before man came to realize it through science. The effects of illegitimate acts show up in the offspring. [Vasa'il. v.17, Chapter 1, p.81, Tradition 22043]

* Also, Imam Jaffer Sadiq (a.s.) says: Modesty is the symbol of faith and whoever has no modesty (Hijab), has no religion.

* Imam Sadiq (a.s) says in a tradition 'The one who prays for his forty believing brothers before he prays for himself then his supplications for others and himself will (certainly) be accepted.' (Beharul Anwaar vol. 39, p. 383)

* One factor that plays a major role in the acceptance of our supplications is sending 'salawaat' (blessings) upon the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a) and his infallible progeny (a.s). Imam Sadiq (a.s) says 'The supplication remains concealed until 'salawaat' is sent on the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a) and his progeny (a.s)' (Al-Kafi vol. 2, pp. 491-493)

* Imam Sadiq [a] said: "Be the friend of he who may grace you, not of one whom you are better than." (- viz. make friends with ones who are higher than you so that you progress.) Bihar-ul-Anwar, vol. 76, p. 267

* Imam Sadiq [a] said: "My most beloved brother is he who (makes me aware of) my faults. "Bihar-ul-Anwar, vol. 74, p. 28

* Imam Sadiq [a] said: "Be careful to have truthful friends and try to obtain them, for they are your support when you are in welfare, and your advocator when you have misfortune. Bihar-ul-Anwar, vol. 74, p. 187

* Imam Sadiq [a] said: "He who seeks the company of those who insult the lovers of Allah has surely disobeyed Him, the Sublime."Usul-i-Kafi, vol. 2, p. 379

* Imam Sadiq [a] said: "When you are informed of a fellow companion committing an evil action, then go to him and tell him: 'O so and so! Either refrain from committing this sin or keep away from us'; then, avoid him unless he does so." Wasa'il-ush-Shi'ah, vol. 16, p. 146

* Imam Sadiq [a] has narrated from his father Imam Muhammad Baqir [a] who said his father Ali ibn Husayn [a] stated: "O' my son! Beware of five (groups) and do not seek companionship with them, do not speak with them, and do not make friends with them on (the) way."

* Imam Jafar Sadiq (عليه سلام) says: "I can witness the Qa'im wearing the particular garment and taking out the letter of the Prophet [PBUH] sealed with a golden seal, and after breaking the seal, he reads aloud to the people. The people disperse from him as the sheep do from the shepherd. And no one besides his wazir (vizier) and eleven chiefs remain with him. Then people begin to search for a reformer everywhere. But, since they do not find anyone besides him who can help them, they rush towards him. By Allah, I know what the Qa'im is telling them which they refuse to acknowledge." Reference: Bihar al-anwar, Vol. 52, p. 326

* "Of our Mahdi, there are two signs which have never taken place ever since the Earth and the Heaven came into existence. One is that in the month of Ramadan, the moon shall be eclipsed on the first of its nights and the sun in the middle of its days, and such a sign has never occurred ever since the creation of the Earth and the Heaven."Reference: Sunan Dar al-Qutni, vol. 8, p.188

14 Masomeen Sayings / Speeches / Sermons of 14 Infallibles / Infallible and Ahlal Bait a.s

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