The Exclusive Honors that Allah has Reserved for the Believers
51. Zurarah narrated: I was seated in the presence of Abu 'Abd Allah [a.s] when he was asked concerning the words of Allah [M.G]: Whoever brings a good deed, he shall have ten like it… [Holy Quran 6/160], 'Does it apply to those whom do not confess of this affair (of Wilayah)?'
'It is exclusively for believers,' he replied. 60
52. Ya'qub ibn Shu'aib reports: I heard him (Abu 'Abd Allah [a.s] saying:
Allah has not taken it on Himself to reward anyone for good deeds except the believers. 61
53. It has been reported that Abu 'Abd Allah [a.s] said:
When a believing servant does good, Allah multiplies for him his deed - for every deed seven hundred times; and that is the meaning of Allah's words: And Allah multiplies for whom He pleases. [Holy Quran 2/261] 62
54. It has been reported that Abu 'Abd Allah [a.s] said:
A believer's light shines for the inhabitants of the heavens like stars shining for the inhabitants of the earth.
He also said: A believer is a friend of Allah; he helps Him and works for Him and he does not say concerning Allah anything but the truth; and he does not fear anyone other than Him.
He also said: When two believers meet and shake hands, Allah does not cease looking at them and their sins continue to fall off them until they part. 63
55. It has been related that Abu Ja'far [a.s] said:
Allah is beyond description, and how can He be described while He has said, 'And they did not estimate Allah with the estimation that is due to Him. [Holy Quran 6/91]' Thus, He is greater than any description said to Him.
The Prophet [a.s] is also beyond description; how can such a servant be described while Allah [M.G] has elevated and drawn him near to Himself making obedience to him on this earth like obedience to Himself! Thus, Allah [M.G] has said, 'Whatever the Messenger gives you, accept it; and from whatever he forbids you, keep back [Holy Quran 59/7]' i.e. whoever has obeyed this (Prophet) has in fact obeyed Me and whoever has disobeyed him has disobeyed Me? We, too, are beyond description; for how can those from whom Allah has removed impurity, which is polytheism, be described? The believer is also beyond description. When a believer meets his brother in faith and shakes hands with him, Allah continues to gaze at them whilst sins fall off them like leaves falling off a tree. 64
56. It has been related that Malik al-Juhni said: I visited Abu Ja'far [a.s] with some thoughts in my mind. He preempted me saying:
O Malik! Have a good opinion of Allah and do not imagine that you are excessive in your affair (of following the Ahl al-Bayt). O Malik, it is beyond your capacity to describe the Messenger of Allah [a.s] and similarly you cannot describe us and similarly you cannot describe a believer. O Malik, when a believer meets his brother (in faith) and shakes his hand, Allah does not stop gazing at them; and sins continue to fall off them until they part without any sins on them. How then can you possibly describe one who is (of) such (greatness before Allah)? 65
57. It has been reported that Abu 'Abd Allah [a.s] said:
When two believers meet, one hundred mercies are showered between them—ninety nine of these go to the one who loves the other more. 66
58. It has been reported that Abu 'Ubaydah said: I accompanied Abu Ja'far [a.s] to Makkah, and whenever he broke his journey, he shook hands with me; and when he commenced, he shook hands with me. So, I said to him, 'May I be ransomed for you! Perhaps you do this for a reason?' 'Indeed,' he replied, 'Whenever a believer meets his brother (in faith) and shakes hands with him, they part absolved of sins.' 67
59. It has been narrated that Abu 'Abd Allah [a.s] said:
Just as people are not able to describe the real essence of Allah [M.G], similarly they cannot describe the true nature of the Messenger of Allah [a.s]; and just as they are unable to describe the true nature of the Messenger of Allah [a.s], similarly they cannot possibly grasp the essential being of an Imam; and just as they cannot possibly grasp the essential being of an Imam, similarly they can never understand the true nature of a believer. 68
60. It has been related that Safwan al-Jammal said: I heard him (al-Sadiq [a.s]) saying:
Whenever two believers meet and shake hands, the more faithful of them would be the one who loved the other more. And no two believers ever met, shook hands, remembered Allah and then parted except that Allah forgave them. 69
61. It has been related that Abu 'Abd Allah [a.s] said:
Archangel Gabriel descended to the Prophet [a.s] and said:
O Muhammad! Your Lord says: One who humiliates My believing servant confronts Me with war. 70 My believing servant has never drawn closer to Me with anything better than fulfilling the obligatory acts; and indeed, he performs the supererogatory acts for Me until I love him. So, when I love him, I become his ears that he hears with, his eyes that he sees with, his hands that he grasps with and his legs that he walks with. 71 There is nothing I hesitate in doing like in taking the life of My believing servant. He dislikes death and I dislike causing him pain. 72 Yet amongst the believers there are some who will not be well except by destitution and if I were to surround them with wealth, it would be evil for them; and amongst them are some who are not well except in affluence and if I were to surround them with poverty, it would be evil for them. 73 Sometimes, My servant asks Me to fulfill a need (he has), but I deny him because of what is best for him. 74
62. It has been related that Abu Ja'far [a.s]: Allah [M.G] has said:
One who humiliates My friend has prepared for a battle with Me. And a servant has never drawn close to Me with anything better than what I have made obligatory on him; and indeed, he draws closer to Me with supererogatory actions until I love him. And when I love him, I become his ears that he hears with, his eyes that he sees with, his hands that he grasps with and his legs that he walks with. If he calls upon Me, I answer him; and if He asks from Me, I grant him. There is nothing I hesitate in doing like in taking the life of a believer. He dislikes death and I dislike causing him pain. 75
63. It has been reported that Abu 'Abd Allah [a.s] said: Allah [M.G] says:
One who humiliates My friend has set out to fight Me; and I am the swiftest in coming to My friends' aid. I do not hesitate in doing anything except in taking the life of My believing servant. I would love to meet him but he dislikes death; so, I avert it from him (for a while). He asks Me and I give him; he calls upon Me and I answer him. And if in this world there was none but one believing servant, he would suffice Me in place of all My other creation and I would make for him his faith a companion so that he would never need the company of others. 76
64. It has been reported that Abu Ja'far [a.s] said:
If the sins of a believer were as much as the sand in the desert or the froth of the sea, Allah would forgive them all; but do not become bold (in sinning, mistaking His Mercy for weakness). 77
65. It has been reported that Abu 'Abd Allah [a.s] said:
A believer dies with his sins forgiven; by Allah, all of them. 78
66. It has been related that Abu al-Samit said: I visited Abu 'Abd Allah [a.s] and he said (to me), 'O Abu al-Samit, glad tidings, glad tidings again, and again glad tidings.' Then he said to me, 'O Abu al-Samit, most surely Allah forgives a believer even if he were to come (to Him) with sins like of this and like of that' and he pointed to the domes. 'Even if he were to come with sins of a magnitude like those domes?' I asked. 'Indeed, by Allah, even if it were like those domes, indeed, by Allah,' he repeated twice.”
67. It has been reported that a companion said: I met Abu Ja'far [a.s] and said to him, 'I have a request.' He answered, 'Meet me in Makkah.' So, I met him there and said, 'Son of Allah's Messenger, I have a request?' 'Meet me in Mina,' he replied. So, I met him in Mina and said, 'Son of Allah's Messenger, I have a request.' 'Tell me of your request', he said. 'Son of Allah's Messenger, I have committed a sin that is only between me and Allah. No one else knows of it. And I hold you in too high an esteem to reveal it before you.'
'On the Day of Resurrection', Abu Ja'far [a.s] responded, 'Allah will manifest (His Presence) to His believing servant and recount for him his sins one by one. Then He will pardon them for him. None shall know of this, neither an archangel nor a prophet ever sent.'
According to another tradition, the Imam continued, 'And He will conceal for him his sins that he hates to see revealed. Then He shall say to his sins: Transform to good deeds! And that is the meaning of the words of Allah: '… So, these are they of whom Allah changes their evil deeds to good ones. [Holy Quran 25/70]' 79
68. It has been reported that Abu 'Abd Allah [a.s] said:
A disbeliever calls out (for his needs) and Allah says, 'Hasten his wish to him,' out of aversion for his voice. And a believer supplicates for his needs and Allah says, 'Delay his wish,' out of a longing for his voice. So, on the Day of Resurrection, Allah will say (to the believer), 'You asked Me for such-and-such and I delayed answering you; so, your reward (for the delay) is such-and-such.' A believer will at that time wish any of his supplications had been never answered in the world when he sees how excellent the reward is. 80
69. It has been reported that Abu 'Abd Allah [a.s] said:
Indeed, when a believer calls upon Allah, He replies him.
(The reporter) said: I stared at him in amazement. Then the Imam [a.s] said:
Indeed, Allah bestows amply on His creatures. 81
70. It has been reported that Abu al-Bilad from his father, from one of the scholars that he said: When a believer dies, his two angels ascend (to the heavens) and say, 'O Lord, so-and-so has passed away.' So He (Allah) says (to them), 'Descend and pray besides his grave, magnifying and glorifying Me until the Day of Resurrection, and record your actions for him (as his reward).' 82
71. It has been reported that Abu 'Abd Allah [a.s] said:
A believer's dream is a part of seventy parts of prophethood. And amongst them are some who have been given one-third. 83
72. It has been reported that Abu 'Abd Allah [a.s] said:
When Allah loves a person, He safeguards him, places contentment in his soul and sets aside reward as his lot. And when He despises him, He leaves him to his own soul and fixes want as his destiny. 84
73. Ibn Abu al-Bilad reported that Abu 'Abd Allah [a.s] said:
A person sometimes supplicates and the Lord [M.G] says, 'O Gabriel, withhold his need.' So, he suspends it (the prayer) between the heavens and the earth out of the yearning of Allah to hear his voice. 85
74. It has been reported that Abu 'Abd Allah [a.s] said:
Allah [M.G] created the essence of a believer from the essence of the Prophets. Thus, it can never become wicked. 86
75. It has been related that Safwan al-Jammal said: I heard Abu 'Abd Allah [a.s] saying:
The death of a believer leaves a gap in religion. 87
76. It has been reported that Abu 'Abd Allah [a.s] said:
The deed of a believer goes forth and makes preparations for him in Paradise just like a man who sends ahead his servant to furnish and spread out things for him.” Then he [a.s] recited Allah's saying, “And whoever does good, they prepare (good) for their own souls. [Holy Quran 30/44]” 88
77. It has been reported that Abu 'Abd Allah [a.s] said:
Allah drives away a believer from what He dislikes just like a man who chases away a stray camel that does not belong to his flock. 89
78. It has been reported that Abu Ja'far [a.s] said:
When two believers meet and shake hands, Allah puts His Hand in between and it is shaken by the one who loves the other the most. 90
79. It has been reported that Abu 'Abd Allah [a.s] said:
Just as there is nothing to gain from polytheism, there is nothing to lose with faith. 91
80. It has been reported that Abu Ja'far [a.s] said: Allah [M.G] says:
There is nothing I hesitate to do like taking the soul of My believing servant for I would love to meet him whilst he despises death; so, I conceal it from him. If there was none on the earth except one believer, he would suffice for Me instead of all My creation and I would make for him from his faith a companion so that he too would need the company of no one. 92
81. It has been reported that Abu 'Abd Allah [a.s] said:
Any believer who dies in isolation and there is no one to mourn him, that spot of the earth where he used to worship Allah mourns for him, his garments weep for him, the portals of the heavens through which his deeds used to ascend weep for him and the two angels appointed to him cry for him. 93
82. It has been narrated that one of them (al-Baqir or al-Sadiq [a.s]) said:
Verily, the sins of a believer are forgiven. So, let the believer make a fresh start. But this privilege is only for the people of faith (ahl al-iman). 94
83. It has been reported that Ishaq ibn 'Ammar said: I heard him (al-Sadiq [a.s]) saying:
Allah has (some) creatures that He keeps away from trials. He creates them in well-being, gives them life in well-being, grasps their souls in well-being and causes them to enter Paradise in well-being. 95
Notes:
60. Al-Majlisi: Bihar al-Anwar 67/64 h.8
61. Al-Majlisi: Bihar al-Anwar 67/64 h.9
62. Al-Majlisi: Bihar al-Anwar 67/64 h.10, 68/24 h.42 and 74/412 h.23 with different series of narrators, al-Hurr al-`Amili: Wasa`il al-Shi`ah 1/90 h.11 [as quoted from al-Tusi: al-Amali 140, Shaykh al-Saduq: Thawab al-A`mal 201 and Al-`Ayyashi: Tafsir 1/147].
63. Al-Majlisi: Bihar al-Anwar 67/64 h.11 and 12. The last statements of the narration are recorded in al-Mustadrak 2/96 h.10.
64. The last statements of the narration are recorded in al-Mustadrak 2/96 h.11. It is also recorded in Al-Majlisi: Bihar al-Anwar 67/30 h.26, al-Hurr al-`Amili: Wasa`il al-Shi`ah 8/554 h.3 [as quoted from Al-Kulayni: al-Kafi 2/182 h.16 with little difference.
65. Al-Mustadrak 2/96 h.12 while the first statements are on page 269 h. 15. It has been also recorded in Al-Majlisi: Bihar al-Anwar 76/26 h.16 [as quoted from Al-Kulayni: al-Kafi 2/180 h.6 with little difference.
66. Warram: Tanbih al-Khawatir wa Nuzhat al-Nawad(ir 2/198 and Ibn Fahad al-°illi: `Uddat al-Da`i 173.
67. Al-Mustadrak 2/97 h.4, Wasa`il al-Shi`ah 8/558 h.2 and Al-Majlisi: Bihar al-Anwar 67/23 h.11 [as quoted from Al-Kulayni: al-Kafi 2/179 h.1 with another series of narration.
68. Al-Majlisi: Bihar al-Anwar 67/65 h.13.
69. Al-Mustadrak 2/96 h.13, Al-Majlisi: Bihar al-Anwar 69/250 h.26 [as quoted from Al-Kulayni: al-Kafi 2/127 h.15 with another series of narration and little difference in the text] and 74/398 [as quoted from al-Barqi: al-Mahasin 1/263 h.333] and al-Hurr al-`Amili: Wasa`il al-Shi`ah 11/439 h.2 [as quoted from al-Barqi: al-Mahasin and al-Kafi].
70. Al-Mustadrak 1/177 h.8 and 2/302 h.1. A similar narration is recorded in Al-Tabrisi: Mishkat al-Anwar fi Ghurar al-Akhbar 322 as joined with h.186.
71. Al-Mustadrak 1/177 h.8; and in 2/302 h.1, the first statement is recorded.
72. Al-Mustadrak 1/86 h.1.
73. In al-Kulayni: al-Kafi 2/352 h.8, this narration is wholly related to Imam al-Baqir [a.s] with a difference in the order of the statements. In al-Hurr al-`Amili: Wasa`il al-Shi`ah 2/644 h.1 and 3/35 h.6 [as quoted from al-Kafi], it is recorded separately.
74. A similar narration is recorded in al-Hurr al-`Amili: al-Jawahir al-Saniyyah 122.
75. The first and last statements of the narration are recorded in al-Mustadrak 1/86 h.2, 2/302 h.2. It is also recorded in Al-Majlisi: Bihar al-Anwar 75/155 h.25. In al-Hurr al-`Amili: Wasa`il al-Shi`ah 8/588 h.3 and 3/35 h.6 [as quoted from al-Kulayni: al-Kafi 2/352 h.7], it is recorded separately.
76. Al-Majlisi: Bihar al-Anwar 67/65 h.14. The first statements of the narration are recorded in al-Mustadrak 1/86 h.3 and joined to h.185.
77. Al-Majlisi: Bihar al-Anwar 67/65 h.15.
78. Al-Majlisi: Bihar al-Anwar 67/65 h.16.
79. Al-Majlisi: Bihar al-Anwar 7/259 h.5 as quoted from al-°usayn ibn Sa`id al-Kufi: Kitab al-Zuhd 91 h.245, Shaykh al-Saduq: `Uyun Akhbar al-Rid(a 2/32 h.57 and Sahifat al- Rid(a 31.
80. Al-Majlisi: Bihar al-Anwar 93/374 as quoted from Ibn Fahad al-°illi: `Uddat al-Da`i 188.
81. Al-Majlisi: Bihar al-Anwar 67/65 h.17.
82. Al-Majlisi: Bihar al-Anwar 67/66 h.18.
83. Al-Majlisi: Bihar al-Anwar 61/191 h.59 and 61/177 h.40 as quoted from al-Kulayni: al-Kafi 8/90 h.58 with a little difference.
84. A`lam al-Din 229.
85. Al-Hurr al-`Amili: Wasa`il al-Shi`ah 4/113 h.7 [as quoted from Ibn Fahad al-°illi: `Uddat al-Da`i 25.
86. Al-Mustadrak 1/168 h.1. A similar narration is recorded in Al-Majlisi: Bihar al-Anwar 5/225 h.1 and 67/93 h.12 as quoted from Al-Barqi: al-Mahasin 1/133 h. 7 and al-Kulayni: al-Kafi 2/3 h.3.
87. A`lam al-Din 270.
88. Al-Majlisi: Bihar al-Anwar 67/66 h.20.
89. Al-Majlisi: Bihar al-Anwar 67/66 h.21.
90. Al-Mustadrak 2/96 h.14, al-Hurr al-`Amili: Wasa`il al-Shi`ah 8/554 h.6, al-Majlisi: Bihar al-Anwar 76/24 h.12 as quoted from al-Kulayni: al-Kafi 2/179 h.2 with little difference.
91. Al-Majlisi: Bihar al-Anwar 67/66 h.22.
92. Al-Majlisi: Bihar al-Anwar 67/66 h.23 and 6/160 h.34 as quoted from al-Barqi: al-Mahasin 1/159 h.99. The last statement of the narration is recorded in al-Majlisi: Bihar al-Anwar 67/154 h.13 as quoted from al-Kulayni: al-Kafi 2/245 h.2 with another series of narration.
93. Al-Majlisi: Bihar al-Anwar 67/66 h.24 and al-Hurr al-`Amili: Wasa`il al-Shi`ah 8/250 h.3 as quoted from al-Barqi: al-Mahasin 2/370 h.124, Shaykh al-Saduq: Man La Yahd(uruhu al-Faqih 2/299 h. 2510 and Shaykh al-Saduq: Thawab al-A`mal 202 with little difference.
94. Al-Majlisi: Bihar al-Anwar 67/67 h.25.
95. Al-Kulayni: al-Kafi 2/462 h.2.
Adapted from: "Kitab al-Mu'min" by: "Al-Husayn ibn Sa'id al-Kufi al-Ahwazi"