Ethics

171. It has been related that Zurarah said: I heard Abu 'Abd Allah [a.s] saying:

The closest stage to infidelity that one attains is that a person takes one to be his brother-in-faith then the latter keeps track of his mistakes and slips that he may use them against him someday. 190

172. It has been reported that Abu 'Abd Allah [a.s] said:

One who accuses a believing man or believing woman falsely will be raised on the Day of Judgment by Allah in a messy substance unless he unsays it.

The reporter asked, 'What is this messy substance?'

It is pus flowing from the genitals of the unchaste women,' the Imam [a.s] replied. 191

173. It has been reported that Abu 'Abd Allah [a.s] said: The Prophet [a.s] said:

One who spreads an indecency is like the one who started it; and one who dishonors a believer of something will not die until he perpetrates it himself. 192

174. It has been reported that Abu 'Abd Allah [a.s] said:

Between every two believers there is a covering (that binds them); if one of them says to the other, 'you are not a friend to me' then he commits apostasy; and if he accuses him of something, faith will dissolve in his heart like salt in water. 193

175. It has been reported that Abu 'Abd Allah [a.s] said:

If a person says to his brother the lease expression of contempt, he cut off any relation between them; and if he says to him, 'you are my enemy,' one of them has then committed apostasy; and if he accuses him falsely, faith will dissolve in his heart like salt in water. 194

176. The Prophet [a.s] has said:

One who does not care to know of his brother what he knows of him is not his brother. 195

177. It has been reported that Abu 'Abd Allah [a.s] said:

It is Allah's will that a believer should always be thought of well; and to humiliate a dead believer is like humiliating him whilst alive. 196

178. It has been reported that Abu 'Abd Allah [a.s] said:

Any believer that disappoints his brother while he is able to help him, Allah will desert him in the world and the hereafter. 197

179. It has been reported that Abu 'Abd Allah [a.s] said:

If any believer asks a fellow believer for help but the other refuses though he is able to do, Allah will impose a serpent in his grave biting his fingers. 198

180. It has been narrated that Abu 'Abd Allah [a.s] said:

Any believer who goes with his brother for a need to help him and does not counsel him correctly has been disloyal to Allah and His Messenger. 199

181. It has been narrated that Abu 'Abd Allah [a.s] said:

Do not belittle your brother-in-faith lest Allah [M.G] should show mercy to him while you are belittling him and your circumstances should change for worse. 200

182. It has been reported that Abu 'Abd Allah [a.s] said:

If one belittles a destitute believer, Allah [M.G] will not cease scorning and loathing him until he makes up for his looking down on the believer. 201

183. It has been reported that Abu 'Abd Allah [a.s] said:

One who brings happiness to a believer has in fact brought it to the Messenger of Allah [a.s]; and one who brings happiness to the Messenger of Allah [a.s] has had the happiness reached Allah [M.G]; and the same is for one who causes him distress. 202

184. It has been reported that Abu 'Abd Allah [a.s] said: the Messenger of Allah [a.s] said: Allah [M.G] says:

One who humiliates a friend of Mine has prepared to confront Me;60 and I am the swiftest in coming to My friends' aid. 203

185. It has been narrated that al-Mu'alla ibn Khunays said: I heard al-Sadiq [a.s] saying: Most surely, Allah [M.G] has declared:

One who humiliates a friend of Mine has prepared for battle against Me; and I am the swiftest of all in coming to My friends' rescue. 204

186. It has been narrated that Abu 'Abd Allah [a.s] said that Archangel Gabriel descended to the Prophet [a.s] and said, 'O Muhammad, your Lord says:

Whoever disgraces My believing servant has in fact confronted Me with war.' 205

187. It has been narrated that Abu 'Abd Allah [a.s] said:

Whoever conceals the shame of a believer, Allah will conceal his shame on the Day of Resurrection; and whoever exposes a believer, Allah will expose him on the Day of Resurrection. 206

188. It has been narrated that Abu Ja'far [a.s] said:

Do not revile at the believers and do not try and uncover their faults; for if one discloses the faults of a believer, Allah will disclose his; and if Allah discloses a person's faults, he will be disgraced even in his own home. 207

189. It has been narrated that Abu Ja'far [a.s] said:

Whoever makes one of our Shi'ah happy will make happy the Messenger of Allah [a.s]; and the same is said about one who offends or causes grief. 208

190. It has been narrated that 'Abd Allah ibn Sinan said:

I said to Abu 'Abd Allah [a.s], 'it is true that believers are forbidden from exposing other believers, is it not?' 'Yes, it is' he replied. 'Does this mean physical nakedness?' I asked.

'No, it is not,' he replied, 'rather it refers to disclosing his secrets.' 209

191. And from him (al-Sadiq) [a.s] it is reported that he said:

One who accuses a believing man or believing woman falsely will be raised on the Day of Judgment by Allah in a messy substance unless he unsays it. 210

He also said: Backbiting (ghibah) is to say about your brother what is true but Allah has hidden; for when you say about him what is untrue, then that refers to what Allah has said, '…he indeed takes upon himself the burden of a calumny and a manifest sin. [Holy Quran 4/112]' 211

192. It has been reported that Abu 'Abd Allah [a.s] said: the Prophet [a.s] said:

Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day must not sit in a gathering in which an Imam is reviled or a Muslim is backbitten. Allah [M.G] says, 'And when you see those who enter into false discourses about Our communications, withdraw from them until they enter into some other discourse, and if Satan causes you to forget, then do not sit after recollection with the unjust people. [Holy Quran 6/68]' 212

193. It has been reported that Abu 'Abd Allah [a.s] said:

One who narrates something concerning a believer with the intention of disgracing and defaming him, Allah will humiliate him on the Day of Resurrection unless he unsays. 213

194. It has been reported that Abu 'Abd Allah [a.s] said: the Messenger of Allah [a.s] said:

O community of those who have believed with their tongues but not with their hearts! Do not seek the shortcomings of believers and do not try to uncover their faults. Most surely, one who seeks to uncover the faults of his brother, Allah will disclose his faults; and for whomsoever Allah discloses his faults, He will disgrace him even if it be within his own home. 214

195. It has been reported that Muhammad ibn Muslim said that one of the two (al-Baqir or al-Sadiq [a.s]) said: the Messenger of Allah [a.s] said:

He is not a believer from whose actions his neighbor is not safe.

'O Allah's Messenger,' they asked, 'What are these?'

'These are the acts of wronging and oppression,' the Messenger of Allah replied. 215

196. It has been narrated that Abu 'Abd Allah [a.s] said:

It is forbidden on believers to exposes the secrets of each other. I do not mean that they see each other naked; rather they find faults in or disgrace each other. 216

197. It has been narrated that Abu Ja'far [a.s] said:

If one's brother-in-faith is backbitten in his presence while he does neither aid nor defend him when he is able to do so, Allah will disgrace him in the world and the hereafter. 217

198. It has been reported that Abu 'Abd Allah [a.s] said:

When a believer says a word of contempt loses his friendship; and when he says to him, 'you are an enemy to me,' one of the two has become a disbeliever because Allah does not accept the actions of one who hastens to blame a believer for his faults; and He does not accept actions from a believer whilst he harbors evil in his heart against another believer. If the veils were to be lifted from people, they would have seen what bond there is between Allah [M.G] and a believer and their necks would bow for the believers. They would make the believers' affairs easy and yield to their obedience. If they were to see the amount of actions being rejected from the heavens, they would have said, 'Allah will not accept any action from anyone!' 218

199. It has been reported that Abu 'Abd Allah [a.s] said: the Prophet [a.s] said:

A believer is sacred - all of him - his dignity, his property and his life. 219

200. It has been reported that Abu 'Abd Allah [a.s] said:

Do not rejoice at the misfortune of your brother-in-faith lest Allah [M.G] should have mercy on him and change your condition.

The Imam also said: One who rejoices at a misfortune that has befallen his brother will not leave this world before his condition changes to the worse. 220

201. It has been narrated that the brother of al-Tirbal (i.e. Ibrahim ibn Jamil al-Kufi) said: I heard al-Sadiq [a.s] saying:

Allah holds some on the earth as sacred: the Book of Allah, the Messenger of Allah, the Ahl al-Bayt, the Ka'bah and a Muslim and a Muslim and a Muslim. (He repeated thrice.) 221

Notes:

190. Al-Mustadrak 1/55 h.1 and 2/104 h.1, Shaykh al-Mufid: al-Ikhtisas 221, al-Majlisi: Bihar al-Anwar 72/217 h.20 [as quoted from al-Kulayni: al-Kafi 2/354 h.1], 75/215 h.13 [as quoted from al-Barqi: al-Mahasin 1/104 h.83 and Shaykh al-Mufid: al-Amali 22], al-Hurr al-`Amili: Wasa`il al-Shi`ah 8/594 h.2 [as quoted from al-Kulayni: al-Kafi and al-Barqi: al-Mahasin] and Warram: Tanbih al-Khawatir wa Nuzhat al-Nawad(ir 2/208 with little difference.

191. Al-Mustadrak 2/107 h.2, al-Majlisi: Bihar al-Anwar 75/244 h.5 [as quoted from al-Kulayni: al-Kafi 2/357 h.5], 75/194 h.6 [as quoted from Shaykh al-Saduq: Ma`ani al-Akhbar 163, Shaykh al-Saduq: Thawab al-A`mal and al-Barqi: al-Mahasin 1/101 h.76] and al-Hurr al-`Amili: Wasa`il al-Shi`ah 8/594 h.2 [as quoted from al-Kafi, al-Mahasin, Ma`ani al-Akhbar and Thawab al-A`mal].

192. Al-Mustadrak 2/104 h.1. The first statement is recorded in al-Mustadrak 2/108 h.2 [as quoted from Shaykh al-Mufid: al-Ikhtisas 224. The narration is also recorded in al-Majlisi: Bihar al-Anwar 75/215 h.12, 75/255 h.41, 73/384 h.2, al-Hurr al-`Amili: Wasa`il al-Shi`ah 8/596 h.2, 8/596 h.5 and 8/609 h.6 [as quoted from Shaykh al-Saduq: Thawab al-A`mal 295, al-Barqi: al-Mahasin 1/103 h.82 and al-Kulayni: al-Kafi 2/356 h.2.

193. Al-Mustadrak 2/110 h.1.

194. Al-Mustadrak 2/110 h.2, al-Majlisi: Bihar al-Anwar 74/243 h.43, 74/221 h.5, 75/198 h.19 and al-Hurr al-`Amili: Wasa`il al-Shi`ah 8/545 h.8, 8/613 h.1 [as quoted from al-Kulayni: al-Kafi 2/171 h.5, 2/361 and Shaykh al-Mufid: al-Ikhtisas 22].

195. A`lam al-Din 273.

196. Al-Mustadrak 2/110 h.3 and 3/280 h.1.

197. Al-Majlisi: Bihar al-Anwar 75/17 h.1, 75/22 h.26 and 75/20 h.17, al-Hurr al-`Amili: Wasa`il al-Shi`ah 8/589 h.9 [as quoted from Shaykh al-Saduq: al-Amali 393 h.16, Thawab al-A`mal 284 and al-Barqi: al-Mahasin 99 h.66].

198. Al-Mustadrak 2/413 h.12. See also footnote of Narration No. 119.

199. Al-Mustadrak 2/412 h.1 and al-Hurr al-`Amili: Wasa`il al-Shi`ah 11/597 h.6 [as quoted from al-Kulayni: al-Kafi 2/363 h.6].

200. Al-Mustadrak 2/103 h.1.

201. Al-Mustadrak 2/103 h.1, al-Majlisi: Bihar al-Anwar 75/157 h.26, 72/57 and al-Hurr al-`Amili: Wasa`il al-Shi`ah 8/591 h.5 as quoted from al-Kulayni: al-Kafi: 2/351 [part of] h.4 and Kitab al-Tamhis h.89.

202. Al-Mustadrak 2/404 h.5, al-Majlisi: Bihar al-Anwar 74/297 h.27 and al-Hurr al-`Amili: Wasa`il al-Shi`ah 11/570 h.4 as quoted from al-Kulayni: al-Kafi: 2/192 h.14.

203. Al-Majlisi: Bihar al-Anwar 75/155 h.24 and al-Hurr al-`Amili: Wasa`il al-Shi`ah 8/588 h.3 as quoted from al-Kulayni: al-Kafi: 2/351 h.3. This narration is part of No. 62.

204. Al-Mustadrak 2/103 h.2, al-Majlisi: Bihar al-Anwar 75/158 h.2 and al-Hurr al-`Amili: Wasa`il al-Shi`ah 8/588 h.2 as quoted from al-Kulayni: al-Kafi: 2/351 h.5. This narration is part of No. 63.

205. See footnote of Narration No. 61.

206. Al-Mustadrak 2/104 h.2.

207. Al-Mustadrak 2/104 h.3, A similar narration is recorded in al-Hurr al-`Amili: Wasa`il al-Shi`ah 8/595 [part of] h.3 as quoted from al-Kulayni: al-Kafi: 2/355 h.5.

208. Al-Mustadrak 2/102 h.5 and 2/404 h.10.

209. Al-Mustadrak 2/108 h.4, 1/55 h.2, al-Majlisi: Bihar al-Anwar 75/169 h.41, 75/214 h.9, al-Hurr al-`Amili: Wasa`il al-Shi`ah 8/608 h.1, 1/367 h.2 [as quoted from al-Kulayni: al-Kafi: 2/358 h.2, Shaykh al-Saduq: Ma`ani al-Akhbar 255 h.2, al-Barqi: al-Mahasin 1/104 h.84 and Shaykh al-Tusi: al-Tahdhib 1/375 h.11 with little difference.]

210. See footnote of Narration No. 172.

211. Al-Mustadrak 2/107 h.2, 1/55 h.2, al-Majlisi: Bihar al-Anwar 75/258 h.49, and al-Hurr al-`Amili: Wasa`il al-Shi`ah 8/602 h.22 [as quoted from al-`Ayyashi: Tafsir 1/257 h.270.]

212. Al-Mustadrak 2/387 h.17, al-Majlisi: Bihar al-Anwar 74/195 h.24, 75/264 h.9 [as quoted from Ibn Idris al-°illi: al-Sara`ir 491 and al-Qummi: Tafsir 192] and Warram: Tanbih al-Khawatir wa Nuzhat al-Nawad(ir 2/210.

213. Al-Mustadrak 2/108 h.1.

214. Al-Mustadrak 2/104 h.4 and 12 [as quoted from Shaykh al-Mufid: al-Ikhtisas 220], al-Majlisi: Bihar al-Anwar 75/218 h.21, 75/314 h.10 [as quoted from al-Kulayni: al-Kafi: 2/354 h.2, Shaykh al-Saduq: Thawab al-A`mal 288, al-Barqi: al-Mahasin 1/104 h.83 and Shaykh al-Mufid: al-Amali 91], al-Hurr al-`Amili: Wasa`il al-Shi`ah 8/594 h.3 [as quoted from Thawab al-A`mal, al-Mahasin and al-Kafi] and Warram: Tanbih al-Khawatir wa Nuzhat al-Nawad(ir 2/208.

215. Al-Hurr al-`Amili: Wasa`il al-Shi`ah 8/488 h.4 [as quoted from al-Kulayni: al-Kafi: 2/668 h.12.] A similar narration is recorded in Warram: Tanbih al-Khawatir wa Nuzhat al-Nawad(ir 1/73.

216. Al-Mustadrak 1/55 h.2, 2/108 h.3, al-Majlisi: Bihar al-Anwar 75/213 h.7, al-Hurr al-`Amili: Wasa`il al-Shi`ah 8/609 h.3, 1/367 h.3 [as quoted from al-Kulayni: al-Kafi: 2/359 h.3, Shaykh al-Saduq: Ma`ani al-Akhbar 255 h.1 and Shaykh al-Tusi: al-Tahdhib 1/375 h.12 with little difference.]

217. Al-Mustadrak 1/108 h.2.

218. Al-Mustadrak 2/109 h.1, al-Kulayni: al-Kafi 8/365 h.556 and Warram: Tanbih al-Khawatir wa Nuzhat al-Nawad(ir 2/177. The first statement of the narration is recorded in al-Majlisi: Bihar al-Anwar 75/166 h.38 and 75/146 h.16 and al-Hurr al-`Amili: Wasa`il al-Shi`ah 8/611 h.2 [as quoted from al-Kulayni: al-Kafi 2/361 h.8 and al-Barqi: al-Mahasin 99 h.67.] The last statement is recorded in al-Majlisi: Bihar al-Anwar 67/73 h.44 [as quoted from al-Barqi: al-Mahasin 1/132 h.4.]

219. Al-Mustadrak 2/109 h.1.

220. Al-Mustadrak 1/142 h.2, al-Majlisi: Bihar al-Anwar 75/216 h.19, al-Hurr al-`Amili: Wasa`il al-Shi`ah 6/910 h.1 [as quoted from al-Kulayni: al-Kafi 2/359 h.1].

221. A similar narration is recorded in al-Majlisi: Bihar al-Anwar 74/232 as quoted from al-Suri: Qad(a` al-°uquq.

Adapted from: "Kitab al-Mu'min" by: "Al-Husayn ibn Sa'id al-Kufi al-Ahwazi"