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CHAPTER FOUR: THE MANNER OF DUA |
THINGS TO DO BEFORE DUA
THINGS TO DO ALONG WITH DUA
THINGS TO DO AFTER DUA
MUTUAL CURSING (MUBAHELAH)
EPILOG
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Things To Do Before Dua |
a- Purification
b- Application
of perfume
c- Being
in the direction of Qiblah
d- Giving
alms
God Almighty says:
*
*
-”...Offer something in charity before your consultation.”
(Verse 12 of the Quranic Chapter, the Pleading One)
e- Belief
in God’s power to fulfill his desire as verse 186 of the Quranic Chapter, the
Cow, says:
*
*
“and believe in Me.”
It has been reported on the authority of the Holy Prophet (SAW):
*
*
366. “Whoever
asks something from Me and is sure that gain and loss are in My hand, I will
fulfill his desire.”
f- Having
good opinion of God that He will answer his call.
Hope in God’s Mercy
God says:
*
*
“....call on Him fearing and hoping....”
(Verse 56 of the Quranic Chapter, The Elevated Places)
*
*
367. “My
opinion of My servant is his opinion of Me.
Therefore, he should have good opinion of Me.”
The Holy Prophet (SAW) has said:
*
*
368. “Call
on God when you are sure of fulfillment of Dua.”
One of the revelations of God to prophet Moses (AS) was:
*
*
369. “O
Moses! Should you call on Me hoping, I will soon forgive you.”
Soleyman Ibne Farrah has reported on the authority of Imam Sadeq (AS):
* *
“Whenever you recite Dua, be sure that what you need is at the
door.”
In another Hadith, we read:
*
*
370. “Turn
to Him wholeheartedly and be sure that what you need is at the door.”
Why shouldn’t man have good opinion of God when it is He is the
Most Generous One and the Most Merciful and it is He whose Mercy precedes His
wrath.
It has been reported that:
*
*
371. “When
God blew in a man from His own spirit and man became human, he sat and sneezed.
He was inspired to say: Praise is due to the Lord of the worlds.
In response, God said: May God have mercy on you O Adam!”
Therefore, the first words of God to Adam was with mercy.
It has been related in a Hadith:
*
*
372. “When
God sent prophet Moses (AS) to Pharaoh, He said to Moses: Tell him that I am
more speedy in Mercy and forgiveness than wrath and punishment.”
In another Hadith, we read:
*
*
373. “When
Pharaoh was being drowned, instead of invoking God, he invoke Moses (AS).
God inspired him: O Moses! You did not help him since you had not created
him but if he had asked Me for help, I would have helped him.”
Mohammad Ibne Khaled has reported in his book on the authority of the Holy
Prophet (SAW):
374. “When
prophet Jonah (Yunus) reached the sea where Korah (Qarun) was, Korah said to his
guardian angel: What is this sound and fear I hear?
The angel said: This is Jonah whom God has imprisoned in the stomach of
fish and made him go round the seven seas and end up in here.
this sound and fear is for his sake.
Korah
said: do you permit me to speak to him?
The angel said: Yes.
Then Korah (Qarun) said to Jonah (AS): Why don’t you repent to your
Lord?
Jonah said: Why didn’t you yourself repent to your Lord?
Korah said: I repented to Moses (AS) but he did not accept it.
However, if you repent to God, you will receive His Mercy in the first
step you take.
Don’t you see how kindly He treats His servants and how He showers them
with His mercy?”
One of the signs of God’s mercy is that He has encouraged believers to
recite Dua for their brothers in faith saying: Call upon Me with a tongue you
have not committed sin and that is the tongue of others.”
One of the other signs of God’s mercy are those Hadiths which encourage
believers to offer the reward of prayers for the deceased.
God has sent manifold reward for it in a way that it has been reported on
the authority of the Holy Prophet (SAW):
*
*
375. “Whoever
enters a cemetery and recites the Quranic Chapter, Yaseen, God will reduce
punishment on the deceased buried in that cemetery on that day and good deeds
will be written for this person, as many as the number of the deceased.”
Imam Sadeq (AS) has said:
*
*
376. “The
reward of prayer, fast, Hajj, alms, Dua, and charity after the death of a person
goes to him and its reward is written both for those who perform these deeds and
for the dead person.”
Imam Sadeq (AS) has also said:
*
*
377. “Every
muslim who does a good deed on behalf of a dead person, God will give him a
double reward and benefit the dead person.”
The third sign of God’s bountiful mercy is His decree to the Holy
Prophet of Islam (SAW) when He said:
*
*
- “So
know that there is no god but Allah, and, ask forgiveness for your fault and for
the believing men and the believing women.”
(Verse 19 of the Quranic Chapter, Muhammad)
Dear
reader ponder on this Quranic verse and see how God has put the decree of
seeking forgiveness alongside monotheism which is the basis of Islam and divine
commandments revolve round this axis.
Is this anything but His bountiful mercy?
*
*
*
“....and
they said: Allah is sufficient for us and most excellent is the protector.
So they returned with favor from Allah and (His) grace; no evil touched
them and they followed the pleasure of Allah.....”
*
Imam
Sadeq (AS) was asked about the degree of trust.
The Imam (AS) said:
*
378.
*
379.
*
-”A
believer never has good opinion of God unless God treats him on the basis of
that good opinion, for, God is Generous and is ashamed of opposing His
servant’s opinion and hope.
*
“....the
entertainers of evil thoughts about Allah.
*
380.
“When God has reckoned the deeds of people, there remains one person
whose evil deeds surpass his good deeds.
Angels take him to throw into Fire.
While he is looking behind him, God tells the angels to send him back
saying: Why were you looking behind you?
Evidently God knows the reason.
The man says: O God! My good opinion of you was different from this.
At this time, God says: My angels, by My Glory! This man had no good
opinion of Me even for a single day.
*
381.
“On the Day of Judgement, a man is held before God.
Then it is said to angels: Compare My blessings with his deeds.
But the blessings surpass the deeds, and overwhelm them.
Here God says: I granted all My blessings to him.
Compare his good and evil deeds.
At this time if they are equal, God removes evil deeds for the sake of
good deeds and make him enter paradise.
*
382.
“God gathers all people on the Day of Judgment while some of them have
rights on others and God has rights on them too.
At this time God says: O my servants! I remit My own rights.
*
383.
“On the Day of Judgment, there is a call from God’s Throne saying; O
nation of Muhammad! I remit all the rights I had against you.
There remains your own rights.
384.
“There was a pious man among Bani Israel.
God inspired prophet David (AS) that the pious man was hypocritical.
After sometime the man passed away.
O
God! We know nothing but good about him.
Yet You are the All-knowing.
Forgive him his sins.
After bathing the corpse, forty others rose up saying: O God! We know
nothing but good about him.
Yet You are the All-knowing.
Forgive him his sins.
O
God! We know nothing but good about him.
Yet You are the All-knowing.
At
this time God said to David: Why didn’t you pray for him?
David said: You Yourself said he is hypocritical.
Hope
should always be accompanied with fear.
In this relation Amiralmomenin (AS) has said:
*
385.
“Try to have good opinion of God and fear Him at the same time, for
everyone’s good opinion of God is to the extent of his fear of Him.
*
386.
“A servant of Allah does not attain the position of belief unless he is
both hopeful and fearful.
*
387.
“They are lying.
They are never our friends.
1-
388.
2-
3-
4-
*
389.
7-
*
390.
“Quoting his father, my father has said: Imam Hassan Ibne Ali (AS) was
the most pious, the most devoted and the most learned man of his time.
Whenever
he remembered death, he would start crying.
When he remembered resurrection, he would start weeping.
Whenever he remembered Saraat, he would bitterly weep and when he
remembered offering his deeds to God, he would weep loudly and keep silent.
When he stood for praying before God, his two sides started trembling and
whenever he remembered paradise and Hell, he would become excited as a man
bitten by snake.
8-
g-
h-
*
“Call
on your Lord humbly and secretly; surely He does not love those who exceed
limits.” have said: Humbly and secretly means invoke God humbly.
*
391.
*
392.
i-
*
393.
*
394.
*
395.
*
396.
*
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Things To Do Along with Dua |
a-
*
398.
*
399.
*
400.
*
401.
*
402.
“O seeker of knowledge! Perform prayer before you have no power to
perform prayer day or night.
The likeness of a worshipper is as a person who goes to a king’s court
and the king listens to him as long as he is speaking about his demands.
A muslim is like him too.
*
403.
“Whenever you perform an obligatory prayer, do it as a person who is
performing his last prayer before his death.
Then direct your eyes to your prostration site.
If you know that persons on your right and left side watch you, you will
perform a better prayer.
*
404.
“O Abazar! As long as you are in prayer, you are knocking at the door
of the king of the world and whoever knocks at the door of such king, the door
will be opened to him.
*
405.
“O Moses! Choose repentance and renounce sin.
When you are standing in prayer in My presence, be careful.
Don’t be fond of anyone but Me.
b-
Persistence in Dua
*
406.
407.
“By God! No believer has ever persisted in expressing his needs which
God has not fulfilled.”
*
408.
God does not love people to persist in asking something from one another
but loves it about Himself.
c-
*
409.
*
“O
Moses! Whoever loves Me, will not forget Me and whoever hopes in My virtues,
persist in his invocation.
d-
*
“Call
on your Lord humbly and secretly.”
*
*
*
412.
1-
2-
One who rises up to perform prayer by himself goes into prostration and
is overtaken by sleep.
Herem God says: Look at My servant.
His spirit is with Me, but his body is in prostration before Me.
3-
e-
*
413.
f-
*
*
414.
“It has never happened that forty people assemble in a place and invoke
God for something whose call has not been answered by God.
415.
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One
who says “ameen” shares the Dua.
*
*
416.
*
417.
g-
*
418.
“O
Moses! When you are calling on Me, be humble, broken-hearted, and fearful.
Rub your face against earth, and prostrate before Me with your best body
members.
*
419.
“O Jesus! Call on Me as a person who is being drowned and oppressed man
who has no helper.
O Jesus! Humble your heart before Me and remember Me privately most of
the time. Know
that My happiness is when you come to Me with fear and hope.
Don’t ever come to Me with a dead heart but with a living and happy
heart.
*
420.
“When God sent Moses and Haroon to Pharaoh, He said to them: Let not
their elegant garments frighten you, for his reins of affairs are in My hand.
*
- "But
I prefer you two to him.
Therefore I alienated the world from you, for this is the way I treat My
friends. I
will give them that amount of worldly blessings which a shepherd gives to his
sheep from the herbs of destruction.
I keep My friends from compromise with world in the same way that a kind
camel driver keeps his camels from precipices.
*
- “The
ornaments of My friends before Me are humility, modesty and the fear that have
dwelt in their hearts and are manifest in their bodies such a state is their
inner and outer form and will lead to their prosperity so that they will attain
the positions they desire.
Their victory lies in the same humility upon which they pride themselves.
*
h-
*
422.
“A person entered a mosque, performed two Rak’at of prayer and asked
something from God.
The Holy Prophet (SAW) said: This man has been in a hurry in the presence
of God. Another
man came, performed
a two-Rak’at prayer, then praised God and sent greetings to the
Messenger of God.
*
423.
“In the book of Amiralmomenin, it has been pointed out: The place of
expressing is after praising God.
*
424.
“Praise God first, then confess your wrongdoings, then express your
desire.
*
425.
“Whenever one of you wishes to express his desires to God, he should
first praise God, for when a person wishes to ask something from a king, he will
use good words as much as possible.
*
“O
you who are the Most Generous among the generous ones! O You who are the Best
one whom one can beg! O You who are the Most Merciful among the merciful ones! O
the One! O the Unique! O You on whom all depend! O You who beget not nor are You
begotton! O You the like of whom does not exist.
O You who have not chosen any wife nor child! O You who
will do whatever you wish! O You
who will decree whatever You will!
O you who will destine (determine) whatever you wish!
*
*
i-
*
426.
*
427.
“”My father heard from a man who had hung himself to Kaba saying: O
God send greetings upon Muhammad.
*
428.
*
429.
“A man being in the Fire of Hell was calling a hundred and forty Kharif,
every Kharif having a hundred and forty years.
Then he invoke God through Mohammad and his household saying: Have mercy
on me. Here
God inspired Gabriel with a revelation saying: Descend towards my servant, bring
him to Me from Hell.
Gabriel said: O Lord! How can I go into Fire? Gabriel said: O Lord! How
can I go into Fire?
God said: I ordered the Fire to become cold and safe for you.
Gabriel said: O Lord! I do not know where he is.
God said: He is imprisoned in ditch.
Going to him and seeing that man’s feet were tied and hung by face,
Gabriel said to him: How long have you been in Fire?
He said: I do not know how long I have been left here?
Gabriel took him to God.
He
said: I do not know My Lord! God said: By My Glory! If you had not uttered these
words, I would have kept you in Hell, for I have made it My duty to forgive any
man who invokes Me through Muhammad and his household.
*
430.
“God says: O My servant! Has it not happened that someone asks a big
thing from you but you are not willing to fulfill it unless he brings the most
believed person to persuade you to fulfill those desires for the sake of that
intercessor? Let
it be known to you that the most honorable and supreme creature with Me is
Muhammad and his brother Ali and the Imams who are the medium of nearness to Me.
Salman
said: I called on God and requested Him to give me something which is superior
to and more profitable than ruling over the whole world.
I invoked God through these honorable persons to give me a tongue which
praises God, a heart which thanks His blessing, a body which can forbear all
hardships. God
too fulfilled all my desires.
431. “Zoleikha
said: Praise is due to God who makes kings slave because of their sins and kings
slaves as a result of their devotion.
Yusuf (AS) said: O Zoleikha! What prompted you to do so?
Zoleikha said: The beauty of your face, O Yusuf!
Yusuf said: So what will you do if you see the last prophet, whose name
is Muhammad (SAW) and he is more beautiful, more good tempered and more generous
than I am? Zoleikha
said: You are right, Yusuf said: how do you know that I am telling the truth?
Zoleikha said: As soon as you mentioned his name, his love was placed in
my heart. Here
God inspired Yusuf that Zoleikha tells the truth and since he loves Muhammad I
love her too. Then
God ordered Yusuf to marry Zoleikha.
Jaber has reported on the authority of Imam Sadeq (AS):
*
*
432. “One
of angels asked God to give him the power of hearing God’s servant.
God too fulfilled his desire, hence whenever a believer recites Salawat,
the angel will firstly say peace be upon you and secondly he will say to the
Holy Prophet (SAW): O Messenger of Allah! Such and such a person sends greetings
upon you and the Holy Prophet too will say: Peace be upon him.”
Amiralmomenin (AS) has said:
*
*
433. “Four
persons were given special hearing power: The Holy Prophet (SAW), paradise, Hell
and Houri (nymph of paradise).
Whenever a servant of God, completes his prayer, he should recite
Salawaat, long for paradise, take refuge to Him from Hell and wish to marry a
Houri, for whoever recites Salawaat for the Holy Prophet (SAW), his Dua will go
up to heavens.
Whoever asks God for paradise, paradise will say: O God! Give your
servant whatever he wishes.
O whoever seek refuge to God from Hell, the Hell will say: O God! Give
refuge to Your servant from what he has sought refuge.
And whoever desires Houri, the Houri will say: O God! Grant the desire of
Your servant.”
Muhammad Ibne Moslem has reported on the authority of Imam Baqer or
Imam Sadeq (AS):
*
*
434. “There
is nothing more heavy in the scales of deeds than Salawaat.
On the Day of Judgement, a man’s deeds are brought and put in the
scales. They
see they are light but the Holy Prophet (SAW) brings Salwaats and put then in
the scales making them heavy.”
Hesham Ibne Saalem has reported on the authority of Imam Sadeq (AS):
435. “Dua
is hidden from God (not answered) unless the supplicant recites Salawaat.”
Imam Sadeq (AS) has also said:
*
*
436. “Whoever
recites Dua without mentioning the name of the Holy Prophet (SAW), that Dua will
hover above him till he mentions the Holy Prophet’s name in which case his Dua
will go up to heavens.”
*
*
437. “Whoever
has a desire, should recite Salawaat first, then he should ask for his desire
and bring his Dua to an end with Salawaat, for God is too generous to answer two
sides of Dua but abandon the middle of it since Salawaat is not hidden to
Him.”
j- Weep
while you are reciting Dua
Weeping is the sign of humility and supreme position for the
following reasons:
Firstly-
Weeping suggests tender-heartedness and tender-heartedness suggests devotion and
devotion entails fulfillment of Dua.
Imam Sadeq (AS) has said:
*
*
438. “Whenever
you trembled to the skin, your eyes were replete with tears, and your heart
became apprehensive, keep that state well, for you have attained your
objective.”
On the contrary, dry eyes and no tears are the sign of
hardheartedness which indicate:
1- Being
away from God.
Addressing Moses (AS) God said:
* *
“O Moses! Let not your desires be too far, for it hardens your heart and a
hard heart is distant from Me.”
2- The
Dua recited by such a person is not answered, for Imam Sadeq (AS) has said:
*
*
“God does not accept any Dua from a hard heart.”
Secondly-
Weeping suggests man’s cutting off of hope with all but God and a sign
of being humble, about which the Holy Prophet (SAW) has said:
*
*
439. “Whenever
God loves a servant, He will place a hue of sorrow in his heart, for He loves
grief-stricken heart.
One who is weeping out of fear for God, will not enter Hell so long as
milk does not return to a mother’s breast.
One who endeavors in the way of God, will never go to Hell.
Whenever God hates a man, He will place in his heart a hymn of laugh
which will make his heart wither.
God does not love those who indulge in merrymaking.”
Thirdly- Weeping
is concordant with God’s decree to His Messengers including to prophet Jesus
(AS):
*
*
440. “O
Jesus! Bring to me as gift the tears of your eyes and the tear of your heart.
Stand on the graveside of the deceased and call them loudly so that they
will hear your sermon say to yourself: I too will join them.
Shed tears for My sake and humble your heart to Me.
O Jesus! Seek help from Me in hardships, for I will help the
grief-stricken ones and answer the depressed ones, since I am the Most Merciful
of the merciful ones.”
And in His revelation to Moses (AS) God says:
*
*
441. “O
Moses! When you are calling upon Me, you should be fearful, sympathetic and
broken-hearted.
Rub your face against the earth, and prostrate before Me with your best
body parts. When
you are standing before Me, raise your hands for begging in Qunut and invoke Me
fearfully in supplication.
During your lifetime, you must enliven My Torah, teach My virtues to the
ignorant and remind them of My blessings and say to them: Do not ever keep on
staying in bewilderment, for My chastisement will be painful.
O Moses! Let not your desires be too far in the world, for it will make
you hardheated and the hardhearted are distant from Me.
Let your heart wither from fear of Me, let your garment be old and torn
but your heart new.
Be unknown for the inhabitants of the earth and familiar for the
inhabitants of heavens.
Dwell at home and keep awake praying at night, be obedient to Me as the
patient ones, cry out towards Me because of too many sins, cry out as a man who
is escaping from the enemy and seek My assistance, for I am the Best Helper.”
God has also said:
*
*
442. “O
Moses! Make Me your shield and leave to Me your treasure which is your good
deeds.”
Fourthly-There
are virtues in shedding tears which are not found in other prayers.
In a Hadith, we read:
*
*
443. “Between
paradise and Hell, there is a defile which no one can pass but those who shed
tears out of fear of God.”
It has been reported on the authority of the Holy Prophet (SAW):
*
*
444. “God
blessed Me and said: By My Glory! What those who shed tears receive from Me can
never be received by the worshippers.
I will build palaces for them in lofty places, and others will not share
it with them.”
God inspired prophet Moses in this way:
*
*
445. “Cry
for yourself as long as you are in this world, fear those things which make you
entitled to Fire and annihilation.
Don’t by deceived by ornaments and beauty of the worldly life.”
God inspired prophet Jesus in this way:
*
*
446. “O
Issa, son of Maryam! Cry for yourself as a person who is saying farewell to his
family, leaving the world for those who love it and is fond of things he has
with God.”
It has been reported on the authority of Amiralmomenin (AS):
*
*
447. “When
God was speaking to Moses (AS), Allah’s interlocutor said: O God! What is the
reward of one who sheds tears out of fear of You?
God said: O Moses! I will protect his face from the Fire of Hell and I
will spare him on a Day when there is loud cries.”
Imam Sadeq (AS) has said:
*
*
448. “All
eyes are weeping on the Day of Judgment except three eyes: Those eyes which do
not see unlawful things, those eyes which pass the night in prayer and those
eyes which shed tear out of fear of God.”
*
*
449. “Every
thing has a weight and a measure save tear a drop of which can extinguish seas
of fire. When
eyes are replete with tears, that face will experience neither hardship nor
disgrace on the Day of Judgment.
When tears run from eyes, God will make that face Haram (forbidden) for
the Fire. If
someone cries for an Ummah, God will make all of them entitled to His mercy.”
*
*
450. “On
the Day of Judgement there are no eyes which are not weeping save those eyes
which had wept out of fear of God.
No eyes were replete with tears out of fear of God unless God made other
parts of his body haraam to the Fire.
No tearful eyes have ever experienced hardship and humiliation.
Everything has a weight and measure save tears with a small amount of
which God will extinguish seas of fire.
If a man weeps for an ummah, God will make that ummah entitled to His
mercy as a result of the weeping of the same servant.”
Moavieh Ibne Ammar has reported on the authority of Imam Sadeq (AS):
*
*
451. “In
the last will of the Holy Prophet (SAW) to Imam Ali (AS) it has been pointed
out: O Ali! I recommend you to observe some virtues.
Then the Holy Prophet said: O God! Help Ali to observe them.
Then he enumerated those virtues until he said: The fourth one is weeping
much out of fear of God against every drop of which, a thousand dwellings will
be built in paradise
Abu Hamzeh has reported on the authority of Imam Baqer (AS):
*
*
452. “Nothing
is more beloved to God than a drop of tear shed in the dark of night for the
fear of Allah.”
Ka’abolahbar says: By the One in whose hand my life is! If I weep out
of fear of God and tears run on my face, it is better for me than a mountain of
gold given as alms in the way of God.
Ibne Abi Amir has reported on the authority of Imam Sadeq (AS):
*
*
453. “Grand
inspired prophet Moses (AS): My servants did not gain favor through anything
more beloved than three virtues.
Moses said: O God! What are those virtues?
God said: O Moses! Those virtues are piety in this world, keeping away
from sin, and weeping out of fear of Me.”
Moses said: O God! What is reward for one who has such qualities?
God said: O Moses! The pious of this world will dwell in paradise.
Those who weep out of fear of Me have a superior position which no one
will share, and as for those who have abandoned sins, on the Day of Judgment, I
will question all but I will not question them.”
In the farewell sermon of the Holy Prophet, it has been pointed out:
*
*
454. “One
who sheds tear out of fear of God, against every drop of those tears, his deeds
and rewards will be as big as Mt. Ohod recorded for him and against each drop of
those tears, a spring, there will be cities and castles no eyes have seen, no
ears have heard of, and no mind has imagined.”
It has been reported on the authority of Imam Baqer (AS):
*
*
455. “Prophet
Ibrahim (AS) said: O God! What is the reward of a face wet with tears shed out
of fear of You?
God said: The reward is forgiveness, and the position will be My pleasure
on the Day of Judgement.”
Ishaq Ibne Ammar reports: I said to Imam Sadeq (AS): I recite Dua and I
wish I could weep, but tears do not come to my eyes.
However when I remember a relative who has died, my heart is broken and
my tear starts running.
Is it something permissible?
Imam Sadeq (AS) said:
*
*
456. “Yes,
it is: Remember the deceased and when your heart is broken weep for God’s
sake.”
|
Tabaaki (Pose for weeping) |
Even if you don’t feel like weeping, pose for it so that tears will
come to your eyes.
In connection with Tabaaki, Imam Sadeq (AS) has said:
*
*
457. “Even
if you are not weeping, pose as someone who is weeping.”
Saeed Ibne Yassaar reports: I said to Imam Sadeq (AS): If tears do not
come to my eyes while I am reciting Dua, can I pose as someone who is weeping?
The Imam said:
*
*
458. “Yes
even if it is the size of a head of a fly.”
Abi Hamzeh has reported on the authority of Imam Sadeq (AS):
*
*
459. “When
you fear something happen, or desire something, first praise God and glorify Him
as He deserves, then recite Salawaat and then shed tears even if it is the size
of a head of a fly, for my father said: The nearest state of God’s servant to
Him is to go into prostration and weep in that state.”
Imam Sadeq (AS) has also said:
*
*
460. “If
weeping does not give you a positive response, and tears do not come to your
eyes, pose as one who is weeping even if it is the size of the head of a fly,
for blessed will be your state.”
Admonition
While reciting Dua, you can subdue your eyes so as to shed tears:
-Remember your cardinal sins and disgrace on the Day of Judgment when all
creatures fear God who is the Ruler on that day and knows everything.
-Picture the scene of the Day of Judgment before your eyes when tongues
will become dumb and eloquent speaker will become silent, but body organs will
have coarse voices and sweat will cover people in a way that it drops down from
their ear lobes.
A Day when hidden secrets are disclosed and man’s heart and mind become
evident; evils are uncovered and no one will take notice of another.
It has been reported on the authority of the Holy Prophet of Islam (SAW):
*
*
461. “On
the Day of Judgement, people gather together barefooted and empty-handed while
they are sweating all over.”
Hearing this, Soodeh, the wife of the Holy Prophet (SAW) said: Woe to
me! Will people see one another?
The Holy Prophet said:
*
*
“Everyone is busy and no one will take notice of others.”
The Holy Prophet (SAW) then invoked verse 37 of the Quranic Chapter,
Abassa:
“Every man of them shall on that day have an affair which will occupy
him.”
And said:
*
*
“How can they look at one another while they are pulling some people on
their faces, some people on their ballies and crucifying others near the Fire
till people get through with reckoning.
They hang snakes round the necks of some people to bite them, while
others are being crushed by quadrapeds and the animals which have horns strike
others with their horns and crush them under their feet.”
Caution
Know that weeping to God and invocation with the aim to be redeemed from
sins is a virtue but as long as there is no separation from sin, it will be
useless. in
this connection, Imam Zeinol Abedeen (AS) has said:
*
*
462. “Fear
of God does not mean weeping or shedding tears, for as long as there is no piety
which keeps him from sins, the fear is false.”
It has been reported on the authority of the Holy Prophet (SAW):
*
*
463. “One
day Prophet Moses (AS) saw a friend in prostration on his way.
Moses passed by him and upon returning found him still in prostration.
Moses said: If your desire were in my hand, I would fulfill it.
God inspired him: O Moses! I will not answer him unless he stops his
indecent deeds and turn to what I love.”
In another Hadith, we read:
*
*
464. “One
day prophet Moses on his way saw a man who was weeping.
He went his way but when he passed by him again, found the man still
weeping. Moses
said: O God! Your servant is weeping out of fear of You.
God said: O Moses! Even if this man weeps to death, I will not forgive
him as long as he loves the world.”
In a revelation to Moses, we read:
*
*
465. “O
Moses! Call upon Me with an innocent heart and a truthful tongue.”
It has been reported on the authority of Amiralmomenin (AS):
*
*
466. “Dua
is key to prosperity and deliverance.
The best Dua is one which comes out of a cleansed breast and a pious
heart. Invocation
leads to deliverance and devotion leads to relief.
Therefore, whenever hardships increase, you have to supplicate to God.”
k- Confess
your sins before Dua
Firstly- Confession shows that man has stopped hoping in anyone but God.
Secondly- Confession is the sign of being humble and anyone who is humble is
highly promoted by God.
In a Hadith, we read:
467. “A
pious man served God for seventy years.
He used to fast all days and engage in prayer all nights.
He invoked God for something but was not answered.
He turned to himself saying: There must be something wrong with yourself,
for if there were any good in you, your desire would be fulfilled.
At this time, God sent him an angel saying: O son of Adam! This very
moment you made yourself humble is better than all your prayers in the past.”
It has been reported on the authority of Imam Baqer (AS):
*
*
468. “God
sent revelation to Moses saying: Do you know why I chose you to speak to and not
others? Moses
said: No, my Lord! God said: O Moses! I searched among My servants every where
but I did not find any one more humble than you, for whenever you perform
prayer, you place your face on the earth.”
In another Hadith, we read:
*
*
469. “I
searched among My servants everywhere but I did not find any one more humble
than you. For
this reason I wish to make your position superior among My creatures.”
In a Hadith, we read:
470. “God
sent revelation to Moses (AS) saying: Go up a mountain and invoke Me.
There were several mountain which made itself humble saying to itself: I
am too small for invocation by a messenger of the Lord of the worlds.
At this time, God inspired Moses to go up the same mountain, for that
mountain had made itself humble.”
it has been reported on the authority of the Holy Prophet of Islam
(SAW):
*
*
471. “There
are things for which God will not give but good: Humility for which God will
promote man’s position, modesty for which God will give self-respect and
renouncing what is forbidden for which God will give wealth, and freedom from
want.”
The Holy Prophet (SAW) has also said:
*
*
472. “God
pleasure lies in humility and making the self humble.”
In God’s revelation to prophet David, we read:
*
*
473. “O
David: I have placed five things but people are looking for them in five other
things and do not find them.”
*
*
“I have placed knowledge in a thirst for it and endeavor but people
look for it in surfeit and comfort and do not find it.”
*
*
“I
have placed honor in obedience to Myself but people seek it in serving
the kings and do not find it.”
*
*
“I have placed freedom from want in contentment but people seek it
in too much wealth and do not find it.”
*
*
“I have placed My pleasure, in the discontentment of self but people
look for it in the contentment of self but do not find it.”
*
*
Thirdly- One of the other advantages of confessing the sins, is fear of
God and tender heartedness about which Imam Sadeq (AS) has said:
*
*
“Whenever the heart of one of you is broken, he should recite Dua,
for man’s heart is not broken unless it has been refined.”
Fourthly- On many occasions when the heart is broken, it will lead to the
shedding of tears which is a constituent part of Dua.
Fifthly- Imam Sadeq (AS) has said:
*
*
- “First
praise God, then confess your sins, and finally invoke God, for no one has ever
renounced sin save through confessing it.”
Therefore confessing the sins has five advantages:
1-
Cause you to return to God
2- Cause
your heart to be broken
3-
Cause you to be tender-hearted, a sign of devotion, hence fulfillment of
Dua.
4- Cause
you to weep and weeping is the best way to approach God
5-
Complying with the decree of Imam Sadeq (AS) with all your heart
l-
Return to God with all your heart.
Evidently when you know that some one who is speaking to you is heedless
of what he says, you too will not pay attention to what he is saying.
In this connection, Imam Sadeq (AS) says:
*
*
474. “Some
one who wishes to know what his rank with God is, should see what God’s rank
with him is, for God gives His servant the rank be gives to God.”
Amir al-mominin (AS) said:
*
*
475. “God
will not accept a Dua recited without the presence of heart.”
Seif Ibne Omeireh has reported on the authority of Imam Sadeq (AS):
*
*
476. “Whenever
you call on God, turn to him with all your heart.”
One of the revelations of God to prophet Jesus (AS) is:
*
*
-“do not recite Dua without supplication hence devote yourself with al your
heart, for if you call on Me in this way, I will answer you.”
It has been reported on the authority of the Infallibles (AS):
*
*
477. “Two
Rak-at of prayer with meditation is better than prayer performed throughout the
night while one’s heart is preoccupied with anyone but God.”
* *
478. “Only
that part of prayer in which you have presence of heart will benefit you.”
It has been reported on the authority of prophet (Enoch) Edris (AS):
* *
479. “Whenever
you perform prayer, turn your memories and thought from other things.
Call on the God while you are pure and happy and beseech Him your
interests and what is advisable to you humbly, modestly and obediently.”
*
*
450. “Whenever
you fast, purify yourselves from all uncleanness and impurity.
Fast for God with pure and refined hearts.
Purify yourselves even from thinking about sins, for God considers as
impure the polluted hearts and impure intentions.”
m- Recite
Dua even when you don’t desire anything.
The Holy Prophet of Islam (SAW) said to Abazar:
*
*
“O Abazar! Shall I teach you words which will benefit you?
Abazar said: Yes, O Messenger of Allah.
The Holy Prophet said: You preserve God so that He will preserve you.
If you preserve Him, you will find Him in front of you.
In the days of ease and comfort, he familiar with God so that He will
know you in the days of need and hardships.
If you have any desire invoke God and if you seek help, seek only from
Him. Whatever
exists in the world is destined by His pen till the Day of Judgment.
If all people try to do everything possible to benefit you but God has
not written it for you, they will never be able to do so.”
Haroon Ibne Kharejah has reported on the authority of Imam Sadeq (AS):
*
*
-”Dua in the time of ease and comfort is good for the days of
affliction.”
Imam Sadeq (AS) has also said:
*
*
- “Should anyone who is afraid of tribulation, recite Dua
beforehand, God will never show him that tribulation.”
Imam Zaynol Abideen (AS) has said:
*
*
481. “Reciting
Dua after the descent of tribulation has no benefit.”
n- Recite
Dua for your brothers in faith and ask them to recite Dua for you:
Ibne Abi Omayar has reported on the authority of Imam Sadeq (AS):
* *
482. “Whoever
recites Dua for forty believers and then for himself, his Dua will be
fulfilled.”
And he is advised to say the following after recommended midnight
prayer in prostration:
*
*
483. “O
Lord of dawn and the ten nights, and the even and the odd and the night when it
departs and the Lord and God of everything, send greetings to Muhammad and his
progeny and give me and to such and such a person what suits You and do not give
us what we deserve, O the Preserver and Forgiver!”
It has been reported on the authority of the Holy Prophet (SAW):
* *
484. “Nothing
is more swiftly answered than a Dua recited for others.”
Fazl Ibne Yassaar has reported on the authority of Imam Baqer (AS):
*
*
485. “The
most swiftly answered Dua is that of a believer for his brother in faith in his
absence.”
*
*
486. “The
Dua recited by a mother for his believing brother in his absence is answered
more swiftly than other Duas.
When he recites this Dua, an angel is missioned to say: Ameen and the
like of it for you.”
Abdullah Ibne Sanan has reported on the authority of Imam Sadeq (AS):
*
*
487. “A
man’s Dua in his believing brother’s absence will have his sustenance
increased and the evils removed.”
Imam Sadeq (AS) has also said:
* *
488. “The
Messenger of Allah said: Whenever a believer recites Dua for other believers,
God will return the same Dua to him as many as the number of every believing man
and woman existing from the beginning of creation to the Day of Judgment.
On such a day, a servant is brought and a decree says: Throw him into
Fire. The
angels drag him towards Fire.
At this time the believing men and women say: O God! This is the same man
who has recited Dua for us.
It is here that they intercede for this man.
God too will accept their intercession and he will be delivered.”
Ali Ibne Ibrahim has reported on the authority of his father: I saw
Abdullah Ibne Jandab in Arafaat raising his hands towards heaven and tears
running from his eyes.
When all the people had left I said to him: O Aba Muhammad! I saw no one
so much absorbed in Dua as you were.
He said: By God! I did not recite Dua save for my brothers in faith, for
Imam Kazem (AS) had said to me:
*
*
489. “Whoever
recites Dua in the absence of his brother in faith, there is a call from Divine
throne saying: Let a hundred thousand times more than it be for you.”
I thought it was not advisable to leave a hundred thousand Duas which
was certainly answered for one Dua for myself, which might or might not be
answered.
Ibne Abi Omayreh has reported on the authority of Zeid Nerssi: Moavieh
Ibne Wahab and I were in Arafaat.
He was reciting Dua which his eyes were full of tears.
Listening carefully to him, I found out that he was not reciting a single
Dua for himself, rather he was reciting Dua for people from here and there in
world mentioning their names and their fathers names.
When people left Arafaat, I said to him: O uncle! I saw something strange
about you. He
said: What was strange?
I said: In this holy place, you considered your brethren prior to
yourself and recited Dua for others! He said: O my nephew! Don’t be surprised
at this, for I heard from my master of former and future generations after his
innocent fathers (AS), (If I lie, let my ears become deaf, my eyes blind and
deprived from the Holy Prophet’s intercession) as saying:
*
*
490. “Whoever
recites Dua in the absence of his brother in faith, an angel from heaven will
call him saying: O servant of an angel from thousand times more than it be for
you. And
an angel for the second heaven will call: O servant of God! Let two hundred
thousand times more than that Dua be for you and angel from the third heaven
will call: O servant of God! Let three hundred thousand times more than it be
for you. And
an angel from the fifth heaven will call: O servant of God! Let five hundred
thousand times more than it be for you.
And an angel from the sixth heaven will call: O servant of God! Let six
hundred thousand times more than it be for you.
And an angel from the seventh heaven will call: O servant of God! Let
seven hundred thousand times more than it be for you.
Then, God will say: I am the dependent One who will never become poor.
O servant of God! Let a million times more than it be for you.”
O my nephew! which one is great: What I did or what you are saying?
|
The Necessity of Affection among Brethren |
When reciting Dua for a brother in faith, you should love him from the
bottom of your heart and your Dua must be whole-hearted wishing that God will
answer it. It
is in this case that both your Dua for him will be fulfilled and manifold
rewards will be given to him, for your love of him is a virtue and reciting Dua
for him is another virtue.
Therefore your Dua has three virtues, that is, love, benevolence and Dua.
If you ask God anything for him, invoke it from the bottom of your heart
and intercede for him in your Dua with the God who is the Most Generous among
the generous ones, for beyond a doubt, God is more Generous, more powerful and
Praiseworthy than you in giving a benefit to His servant.
In interpreting verse 26 of the Quranic Chapter, Shura:
*
*
“And He answers those who believe and do good deeds, and gives them
more out of His grace.”
Jaber has reported on the authority of Imam Baqer (AS):
* *
491. “This
verse is aimed at a believer who recites Dua for his brother in faith in his
absence. It
is here that an angel will say: You will be given what you have wished for him
due to your love of him.”
It is related that a righteous man used to recite Dua for his
brethren after performing his prayer in mosque.
One day when he was leaving the mosque, it was said to him that his
father had died.
When he was through with the funeral service, he started dividing what
his father had left among the same brethren for whom he had recited Dua they
said to him: What is it you are doing?
He said: I wished paradise for them in the House of God so why should I
be stingy about the wealth which is doomed to perish.
Dear reader! Ponder on the words of Imam Sadeq (AS) who has said:
*
*
492. “Whenever
two believers shake hand, a hundred mercies are divided between them the ninety
nine of which is for one who loves his friend more.”
It has been reported on the authority of the Infallibles (AS):
*
*
493. “No
man’s faith is perfect unless he loves his brother in faith.”
*
*
494. “Our
followers are those who love one another and are forgiving for our sake.”
Abdolmomen Ansari reports: One day I went to Imam Moosa.
Muhammad Ibne Abdullah Ja-afari too was there.
As soon as I gave him a smile, the Imam said:
*
*
495. “Do
you love him?”
I said: Yes.
I love him only for your sake.
The Imam said:
*
*
-“He is your brother in faith.
A believer is both paternal and maternal brother of another believer.
Cursed and cursed is one who accuses his brother in faith.
Cursed and cursed is one who deceives his brother in faith.
Cursed and cursed is one who does not wish good for his brother in faith.
Cursed and cursed is one who consider himself prior to his brother in
faith. Cursed
and cursed is one who hides himself from his brother in faith. Cursed and cursed
is one who backbites his brother.”
Imam Moosa (AS) has also said:
*
*
496. “The
strongest rope (covenant) is faith, friendship and enmity in the way of God.”
Imam Sadeq (AS) has said:
*
*
497. “Everything
reposes on another thing.
A believer too reposes alongside his brother in faith as a bird reposes
near another bird.
Have you not experienced it?”
*
*
498. “A
believer is the brother of another believer, his eyes, his mirror and his guide.
He does not betray him, deceives or oppresses nor lies to him or
backbites him.”
*
*
499. “Whenever
two or three believers gather round another brother in faith from whose evil
they are immune and hope in what he has, should they invoke God, their Dua will
be answered. If
they have any desire, it will be fulfilled.
If they desire anything, it will be given and if they keep silent, God
Himself will fulfill their desires.”
*
*
500. “Whoever
goes to visit his brother only for the sake of God and not for other things, and
hopes to attain rewards promised by God, God will assign seventy thousand angels
to say to him: Stay happy for paradise will be pleasant for you.”
*
*
501. “The
Holy Prophet of Islam (SAW): Whoever trades with people but is fair to them,
speaks to people but does not lie, makes promise but does not breach it, will be
among those whose backbite is forbidden whose fairness is perfect, whose justice
is open and brotherhood with whom is incumbent.”
Imam Baqer (AS) has said:
*
*
502. “To
God belongs a paradise to which only three persons are entitled to enter: One
who passes a fair judgment even against himself, one who visits his brother in
faith to please God, and one who is self-sacrificial and considers his brother
in faith prior to himself.”
* *
503. “Whenever
two believers visit each other and shake hands, God will place His hand between
their hands and shakes the hand of one who loves his friend more.”
*
*
504. The
Holy Prophet (SAW) has said: “Whenever you meet greet each other with salaam
(peace) and shake hands and whenever you part, do so while seeking forgiveness
for each other.”
Amiralmomenin (AS) has reported on the authority of the Holy Prophet (SAW):
*
*
505. An
angel saw a man standing at the door of a house whose master was not at home.
The angel said to him: Why have you come here?
The man said: I have a brother in faith whom I wish to see.
The angel said: Has any kind of relationship or need brought you here?
The man said: There is no closer relationship between us than Islam.
In the meantime I do not want anything from him but I wish to visit him
for the pleasure of God.
The angel said: I am the messenger of God to you bringing the good
tidings that God has sent His greetings to you and says: Is this visit for My
sake? Are
you expecting a reward from Me with your deed?
I entitle you to paradise, keeping you away from My wrath and delivered
you from the Fire of Hell.”
*
*
506. “Visiting
a learned man is as prayer.
Visiting a just leader is as prayer.
Giving a kind look at parents is as prayer and visiting a brother in
faith for the sake of God is also prayer.”
*
*
507. “God
has not established brotherhood between two believers to whom he has not given a
rank.”
*
*
508. “Whoever
considers someone as a brother in the way of God, he has taken an abode in
paradise.”
*
*
509. “Whoever
respects his brother in faith, has respected God.
What do you think God will do to one who has respected God?
Omar Ibne Harith has reported on the authority of Jaber and he has
reported on the authority of Imam Baqer (AS):
*
*
510. “Two
believers who have become brothers in the way of God, when one of them attains a
rank superior to another in paradise, will say: O God! He was my brother and
friend who enjoined me to obey You, deterred me from wrong doings and encouraged
me about your rewards -these words are uttered by one who stands at a higher
rank - O God! Place him alongside me.
God too will accept his request placing them in the same position.
As for two hypocrites, when one of them in an inferior position, will
say: O God! such a person encouraged me to wrong doing, dettered me from obeying
You, discouraged me about Your rewards and never made me to fear You.
Therefore, place him and me together in this inferior rank.
God too will place these two in the same place.”
The Imam Baqer (AS) recited verse 67 of the Quranic Chapter, Zukhruf,
as follow:
*
*
“The friends shall on the day be enemies one to another, except those who
guard against evil.”
|
Fulfilling
a believe |
*
511.
Ismaeel
Ibne Ammar reports: I said to Imam Sadeq (AS): Is believer a blessing?
*
512.
“Yes, a believer turning to his brother in faith to fulfill his desire
is a blessing God has sent for him.
God has made it a means of nearness to Him.
Hence if he fulfills that need, he has the power to fulfill it, he has
rejected God’s blessing.
*
*
*
*
*
513.
“Woe to Hussein! Are you humiliating all believers?”
I said: I seek refuge with Allah from what you say.
*
“Don’t
you see that there may be among them a person who wishes to act as you but has
no means, hence he is humiliated?”
I said: “O son of the Messenger of Allah! I seek forgiveness from God
and I will not do it again.”
*
*
514.
*
*
*
*
515.
*
|
Make
Your Brother in Faith Happy |
Now
that it has become clear to you as to how much God pays attention to love and
affection among brothers in faith, let it be known to you that the best deed to
God is to make them happy.
Hussein
Ibne Yaghteen has reported on the authority of his father and he too on the
authority of his father and he too on the authority of his grand father:
I was in Ahwas where one of the scribes of “Yahya Ibne Khaled” became
the governor of our city.
I owed some tax and if I paid it, I would lose everything including my
own house. I
was told that he was one of the followers of the Household of the Holy Prophet
but I feared to go to him.
The only option was to seek help from God.
Hence I went to Imam Sadeq (AS) seeking help from him.
*
516.
“In the Name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful, there
is for God a shade under the Throne in which only one abides who removes sorrows
from his brother in faith, or helps him wholeheartedly even if it is as small as
half a date.
This
continued till it was Hajj days.
I said to myself: By God! This happiness can not be compensated by
anything unless I go on Hajj pilgrimage, recite Dua for this man, go to my
master, Imam Sadeq (AS) and appreciate Dua for this man.
So I left that place for Mecca and chose a path to see my master.
When the Imam received me I could see happiness on his face.
*
*
“Yes,
by God! He made me and my fathers happy.
By God! He made Amiralmomenin happy.
By God! He made the Messenger of Allah happy.
------------
Dear
reader, see how this believer treated the emissary of his Imam and how he
observed utmost courtesy in his behavior and greeting.
Also see how he was not pleased with a mere good behavior, rather he made
him share all his wealth.
From the Imam’s words that this man is your brother in faith, he also
understood that two brethren have equal rights in wealth.
1-
The happiness of a believer is the same as the happiness of God the
Messenger of God and the Imams.
2-
3-
4-
*
*
518.
“Every believer who visits a patient, will enter the ocean of God’s
Mercy. Should
he sit by the side of that patient, he will remain in Mercy.
*
519.
“Quoting God, the Holy Prophet (SAW) has said: Whoever hurts My
believing servant has declared war against Me and whoever honors My believing
servant, he is certainly safe fro My wrath.
Among all the creatures I have in the east and the west, if there is a
single believer who is with an Imam and a just leader with their servitude, I
will independent of all creatures that I have on the earth, for the seven earths
and seven heavens depend on those two.
o-
*
520.
“Raise the palm of your hands humbly before Me as a slave who cries out
and seeks help from his master.
Should you do so, you will be entitled to My Mercy, for I am the Most
Generous and the Most Powerful.
O Moses! Seek My Grace and Mercy, for these two are only in My hands and
others do not have them.
Whenever you ask something from Me, see how willing you are to what is
with Me.
*
521.
1-
2-
3-
4-
5-
*
522.
“While I had raised my left hand in my prayer a man passed by me and
said: O servant of God! Recite Dua with your right hand raised.
*
523.
“Inclination is when you expose both hands to reveal what is inside.
Fear is when you open both hands to reveal their backs.
Supplication is when you move the index finger of the right hand to the
right and the left.
*
524.
“Inclination is as such: The Imam had exposed the palm of his hands to
sky.
Supplication
is as such: The Imam was moving his fingers to right left.
Weeping state is as such: The Imam was taking his fingers up and down.
*
525.
In
Inclination when the palm of hands are exposed to sky, man hopes to have his
desires fulfilled.
Hence he is opening his hands to receive God’s beneficence.
In Fear when the back of hands are exposed to sky, man wishes to say to
God who is Aware of all the secrets of the world with a language of humility: O
God! I dare not open my hands before you, rather I have put it towards the earth
out of shame and humility.
In supplication in which man moves his fingers to right and left, perhaps
man wishes to pose himself as a bereaved person who, in afflictions, moves his
hands to right and left while reciting elegy.
In weeping state, in which he brings his fingers up and down, man wishes
to tell God: I have given up having hope in any one but You.
|
Acts
to Follow Dua |
a-
Abandoning
Dua in this state is unjust.
Rather, we should keep on praising God for answering our Dua.
*
“And
when distress afflicts a man he calls upon his Lord, turning to Him frequently;
then when He makes him possess a favor from Him, he forgets that for which he
called upon Him before.”
*
526.
“A believer should recite Dua in the time of case and comfort as in the
time of hardships.
*
527.
“O Ahmad! Keep away from Satan.
A
believer may have a desire but its fulfillment might be delayed, for God loves
his supplication.
*
528.
“A man who loves God recites Dua in affliction too and God will say to
an angel appointed for it: Fulfill the desire of My servant but do not make
haste, for I love to hear his voice.
But when a man who is the enemy of God recites Dua in affliction man
quickly, for I do not love to hear his voice.
*
529.
“A believer is always on the path of good and hopes in God’s Mercy as
long as he does not make haste in having his desire fulfilled as a result of
which he is disappointed and abandons Dua.
The narrator says: I said: What is meant by making hasten?
530.
“The believer calls upon God for his desire and God will say: Let there
be a delay in the fulfillment of his desire, for I love his voice and Dua.
On the Day of Judgment He will say: My servant! You called upon Me but I
made a delay in fulfilling your desire.
Your reward is such and such.
You called upon Me on such and such affair too and I made a delay in
fulfilling your desire too your reward is such and such.
*
531.
“The Messenger of God said: May God bless a servant of His who desires
something and insist on it whether it is fulfilled or not.”
*
*
*
532.
“O Moses! Whoever loves Me, will not forget Me and whoever hopes in My
virtues, persists in his invocation.
O Moses! I am not ignorant of My creatures but I love My angels to hear
the supplication of My servants and My attendants to see how the children of
Adam seek nearness to Me for the things the means and power of which are in My
hand. O
Moses! Say to Bani Israel, do not ever let blessings push you to rebellion, for
in that case, they will be taken from you will fall into abjectness.
*
*
533.
“I said to Imam Sadeq (AS): Can a person recite Dua and his Dua is
answered but there is a delay in it for sometime?
The Imam said: Yes.
I said: Why?
Does he have to recite more Dua?
*
534.
“I said to Imam Sadeq (AS): Can the Dua recited by a person be
fulfilled but with a delay?
Hesham
Ibne Saalem has reported on the authority of Imam Sadeq (AS):
*
535.
Abi
Baseer has reported on the authority of Imam Sadeq (AS):
*
*
536.
*
537.
“A servant of God says: O God! Forgive me.
But God turns away from him.
Again he will say: O God! Forgive me.
God turns away from him for the second time.
The man says again: O God! Forgive me.
Here God says to the angels: Don’t you see My servant?
He asked Me for forgiveness while I was turning away from him.
He asked for forgiveness for the second time.
I turned away from him again.
He asked for forgiveness for the third time.
My servant realized that no one but Me forgives the sins.
*
538.
*
*
“Shall
I introduce to you a weapon which will both keep you safe from the evils of your
enemies and have your sustenance increased?
They said: Yes, O
539
*
540. “There
is a Satan sitting on every heart but when God is remembered, Satan will leave
the heart and disappear.
If God’s remembrance is abandoned, man as a morsel is devoured and
absorbed by Satan.
*
541.
*
542.
*
543. “One
of the revelations made to Moses was this: One who believes he loves Me but goes
to sleep when night comes must be lying.
O Son of Imran! How good it was if you could see those rising for prayer
in darkness. While
I am showing them My image.
Though My position is the Most High, they address Me as if I am in their
presence. O
son of Imran! Give me tears of your eyes, humility of your heart, and modesty of
your body.
*
544. “A
servant of God rises up at night for prayer but slumber takes him over from
right and left so much so that his chin falls on his chest.
At this time, God orders the gates of heaven to be opened saying to
angels: Look at My servant and see what sufferings he has for what I have not
made obligatory to him?
He has three desires: To forgive his sins, to renew his repentance, and
to increase his sustenance.
*
545. “O
Moafazzel! God has servants who trade with Him with devotion.
He too trades with them what His purest virtues.
They are the persons whose book of deeds is clean on the Day of Judgment
and when they stand before God, they fill those books with the secrets they had
with Him.
*
*
*
546.
*
547.
*
548. “whoever
becomes fond of God, is estranged from people.
When among us, he was one of us and when he received us, he was very
close to us and when we asked something from him, he would fulfill our desire.
Although he was very sincere, and we felt that sincerity, we did not dare
to speak in front of him due to his awe nor did we dare to raise our look
towards him due to his dignity.
When smiling, it was such that only his front teeth which were like
pearls showed themselves.
He honored the faithful ones and loved the destitutes.
Neither the powerful ones could allure him into injustice nor the
oppressed were desperate about his justice.
*
549. “O
world, o world, are you offering yourself to a person like me or expressing
love to me? How
far! Time is not proper for you.
Deceive anyone but me.
I do not need you, for I have divorced you three times, an irrevocable
divorce.
b-
*
550. “No
man raised his hand towards God unless God is ashamed of returning it empty.
*
*
551. “No
man extends his hand towards God unless God is ashamed of returning it empty and
puts some of His bounty and mercy -that amount which He wills -in it.
*
*
552.
c-
*
*
d-
*
*
553. “Whenever
a person recites Dua and then says: Whatever God wills, for there is no power
but through God, the Most High, the Great, God will say: My servant has given up
hope in people and has submitted to My order.
*
*
554.
e-
Sins committed after Dua on many occasions hold back Dua.
In the Dua recited by the Infallibles (AS) we read:
*
*
555.
*
*
556. “Avoid
sins, for they will undo good deeds.
Man commits sins as a result of which he will be hindered from midnight
prayer. Man
commits sin as a result of which he is deprived of the sustenance he can be
easily given. Then,
the Holy Prophet (SAW) recited verse 17 through 20 of the Quranic Chapter, the
Qalam as follows: “Surely We will try them as We tried the owners of the
garden, when they swore that would certainly cut off the produce in the morning.
And were not willing to set aside a portion for the poor.
Then there encompassed it a visitation from your Lord while they were
sleeping.
*
557. “O
son of Adam! You invoke Me to give you what I know will benefit you and insist
on it too. I
too give it to you but you make use of it in committing sin.
I too tear the veil and expose your sin.
You recite Dua and I cover up your sins.
*
*
558.
“Do not ever allow to deceive you one who rebels against Me with sin
and rebellion and enjoys the sustenance I give him but he is the servant of
others. Nevertheless
whenever he calls upon Me in hardships, I will fulfill his desire.
Yet he returns to his former rebelling against Me or provoking My wrath?
By Myself! I will take him in such a way that there will be no escape for
him and he will have no shelter but Me.
Where will he escape?
*
*
559.
“A man asks his worldly desire from God and He too, due to His
grandeur, fulfills that desire soon or late but that man commits sin afterward.
|
|
*
*
560.
“Those sins which alter blessings such as oppressing people, abandoning
good deeds as a habit and ingratitude of blessing.
*
*
*
*
“Those
sins which leave regret behind are: To kill someone illegally.
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
------
|
Mubahila
(Mutual Cursing) |
There
are two questions in the connection:
Firstly-
*
*
561.
Secondly-
*
*
* *
*
“Say:
I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives.” they
say: This verse is about those near to muslims not those close to the Holy
Prophet.
*
562.
*
*
“Purify yourself for three days.
I think he said: Keep fast, take bath (religious Ghusl), go to open
space, then put the fingers
of your right hand on the fingers of his hand.
*
*
* *
*
*
*
“If
you do so, a torment will soon come down on him.
|
Hypocrisy |
The
meaning of hypocrisy which is the same as hidden polytheism is that a man does
what seems to be obedience to God but the aim is not to seek nearness to God but
to create honor for him in the eyes of people in order to meet his demands.
*
563.
*
*
*
564.
*
*
565.
*
*
566.
1-
2-
People and the fact that nothing is in their hand.
3-
Human
dignity, honor and endeavor.
It
is in this case that people will not be important to you.
*
567.
*
568.
“God inspired Moses (AS): whenever you come to Me supplicating, bring
with you one from whom you are better.
Moses (AS) did not dare to say he was better than others.
Therefore he stopped finding such a person among human beings and began
to search among animals till he came across a mangy dog.
He said to himself: I will take it with me.
He put a rope round its neck and pulled it behind him.
On the way he untied the rope and set the dog free.
When Moses (AS) reached the supplication site, God said to him: O Moses!
Where is man We had ordered you to bring?
Moses (AS) said: O God! I could not find it.
1-
when a person does something mainly to be seen by men and there is no Godly
motivation I his deed.
This kind of hypocrisy must be abandoned, for it is a sin and is not
considered as obedience to God.
*
*
569.
2-
3-
*
*
570.
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
1-
*
*
*
*
572.
*
*
“Say:
In the grace of Allah and in His mercy -in that they should rejoice; it is
better than that which they gather.”
2-
*
*
573.
3-
*
*
574.
*
Devotion
is attained when appearance and heart become identical.
A person was told: Do everything openly.
*
575.
“Never do anything for which you have to apologize, for good deeds
require no apology.
Do not do in secret anything which if made open, you are ashamed of it.
*
576.
*
577.
*
578.
1-
2-
3-
*
579.
*
580.
*
“It
is hypocrisy, for on the Day of Judgment when God gives His servants rewards for
their deeds, will say: Go to those for the sake of whom you acted hypocritically
in the world.
*
581.
“On the Day of Judgment, there is an order to take some people toward
Fire. God
will say to the master of Fire: O master! Say to the Fire: Do not burn their
feet for they used to go to mosque with those feet.
Say to the Fire: Do not burn their face, for they use to perform
ablution. Say
to the Fire: Do not burn their hands for they raised them towards Me for Dua.
Say to the Fire: Do not burn their tongue, for they used to recite the
Holy Quran. Here,
the master of the Fire will say to them: O miserable ones! What were you doing
in the world? they
say: We were doing for others and not God.
582.
A man of Bani Israel (Israelite) said to himself: I should perform my
prayer in a manner that I will become famous among people.
*
583.
*
584.
*
“And
Allah shall deliver those who guard (against evil) with their
achievement”
*
585.
“In the fear and horror of the Day of Judgment, a righteous deed will
say to its doer, mount me for I was mounting you in the world for a long time.
*
586.
*
*
587.
*
588.
“There is no believer unless God has made out of his faith a kind of
friendship and company by which he will keep calm in a way that even if he is on
the peak of a mountain, he will not have any fear.”
*
589.
*
590.
*
591.
*
592.
*
593.
“A man will never become a truly devoted servant of God unless he gives
up hope in any one but God.
*
594.
*
595.
“O Hesham! Forbearing loneliness is a sign of wisdom.
Whoever appreciated divine knowledge, he will keep aloof from the worldly
people and tends towards what is with God.
In fear, such a person is familiar with God and in loneliness, God is his
company and in destitution, God will make him rich and will make him mighty in
helplessness.
*
596.
*
597.
*
598.
*
599.
“When you go without food, put oil on your head and olive oil on your
lips so people will not know you go without food.
When your give money, let not your right hand see what your left hand
does.
*
*
600.
“On a day when there is no shade but His, God will put three groups
under the shade of His Throne: Two persons who make friend for the consent of
God and are separated for the same purpose.
Hafas
Ibne Bakhtari has reported on the authority of Imam Sadeq (AS):
*
*
601.
“My father has narrated from Amiralmomenin (AS) as saying to Kumeil
Ibne Ziad Nakhaee: Give away but remain unknown.
Hide your good deeds so they are not remembered.
Learn knowledge and practice what you have learnt.
Keep quiet so as to remain sound.
Make the good people happy and the wrongdoers angry.
*
*
602.
*
*
603.
“Whoever does a good deed in secret, it is recorded in the book of his
deeds as a secret deed.
If he speaks about it to others, the word “secret” is erased and is
recorded as open deed.
|
|
Self-admiration
will ruin man as the Holy Prophet (SAW) has said:
*
*
604.
*
*
605.
*
*
606.
*
*
607.
*
*
608.
“God sent a revelation to prophet David saying: O Dawood! Give good
tidings to wrongdoers and admonish the pious.
David said: How shall I give good tidings to the wrongdoers and admonish
the pious?
*
*
*
*
609.
“I know the interests of My servants better than themselves, for
sometimes one of My believing servants does his best to perform his prayer, he
wakes up from his pleasant sleep over him for a couple of nights.
This is due to My favor with him so as to make him steadfast.
Hence, he keeps on sleeping and when he wakes up, he will get angry with
himself. If
I leave him free in performing prayer, he would be overwhelmed by
self-admiration which would ruin him, for he would feel superior to servants and
had the impression that he had not failed in worshipping Me.
*
*
610.
*
*
611.
*
*
612.
*
*
613.
*
*
614.
*
*
615.
“Let it be known to you O servant of God!
That
a believer never ends his day but reproaches himself and wishes for further good
deeds. Therefore,
be as those who lived and passed away before you.
As a traveler, pick up the pitch of tent of
Self-admiration
incurs God’s wrath and obliteration of good deeds.
One should note that all signs and body members by which we perform
prayer belong to God.
Are our sustenance and health not His?
*
*
616.
“O Dawood! Thank Me.
David said: O Lord! How can I thank you while thanks giving itself is one
of Your blessings which needs thanks?
*
*
617.
*
*
*
*
* *
*
*
* *
618.
*
*
619.
*
*
620.
“Praise is due to Allah who judges among people on whatever he wishes.
*
*
*
*
“I
will give you a piece of news no prophet has given to his nation.
*
*
“Then
he said: Before creation of heavens, God created seven angels appointing each of
them in a heaven and made that heaven splendid with that glory.
The
guardian angels record man’s deeds day and night and send them up while it is
as bright as the sun.
When they reach the sky of the world, they purify the deed and add to it
but out of sudden the angel will say: Wait! Throw this deed to the face of its
doer. I
am the angel recording the act of backbiting.
I will not let the deed of a backbiter pass on to a heaven.
*
*
“He
said: Then the next day while carrying good deeds the angels return and pass by
the former angel, purify the deed and add to it till they reach the second
heaven where the angel of that heaven will say: Stop here.
Throw this deed to the face of its doer, for with this deed, he was
following mean objectives in world.
*
*
“He
said, The next stage angels, take up the deed of God’s servant from whose
charity and prayer they are happy.
But when they reach the third heaven, the angel will say: Throw this deed
to the face of its doer.
I am the angel recording arrogance.
This person had good deeds but was arrogant to people.
*
*
“Then
he said: The guardian angels took up the deed of God’s servant while it was
shining like a star and his voice was up with glorification of God, fast, and
Hajj pilgrimage.
They were taking it up to the fourth heaven when an angel said: Stop
here. Throw
it to the face and belly of its doer.
I am the angel recording self-admiration.
He was self-conceited.
He had good deeds but he was complacent.
“Then
he said: The next stage, the guardian angels take up man’s deed which like a
bride is ready for wedding.
When they reach the fifth heaven, the good deed is accompanied by Jihad,
prayer and a sad voice like the moaning, of a camel and the light of the sun.
But the angel will say: Stop here! I am the angel recording jealousy.
Throw it to the face of its doer and put it on his shoulder.
He was jealous of seekers of knowledge and the obedient to God.
Whenever he saw someone was superior in devotion, he was jealous of him
and he started doing it.
*
*
He
said: The guardian angels take up to heaven
man’s deed which is accompanied by understanding, endeavor and piety
while it has a sound like that of thunder and lightning.
In addition, three thousand angels will accompany it.
When they reach the angel in the seventh heaven he will say: Stop here.
Throw this deed to the face of its doer.
I am the angel in charge of veiling.
I will conceal from Him any deed which is not for His sake.
This person meant to obtain a high position with the chiefs and have
reputation.
*
*
“Then
he said: This time, the guardian angels will take up man’s deeds for which man
is happy. Deeds
like prayer, alms, fast, Hajj, good temper, silence, and remembrance of God
which are accompanied by the heavenly angels as well as the seven angels reap
all the veils till they stand before God and they testify for him in practice
and with Dua. But
God will say: You are the guardians
of the deeds of My servants but I am the guardian of what passes in his
heart. He
did not mean Me with his deeds.
*
*
*
*
“O
Ma-aaz! If you have any shortcoming in your deed, stop talking about your
brother in faith and carriers of the Holy Quran.
Blame yourself for your wrongdoing not your brethren.
Do not ever justify yourself by reproaching your brothers in faith.
Do not overestimate yourself at the price of humiliating your brothers.
Do not dissimulate.
Let not your worldly desires interfere your affairs in the Hereafter.
Watch your language when associating with people so as people will not
keep aloof from you.
Do not whisper in an assembly.
Do not magnify yourself, for you will be deprived of the blessings.
Do not reproach people, for the dogs of Hell will reproach you.
* *
“Do
you know who “Nashetaat” are?
*
*
The
reporter says: Ma-aaz did not recite the Holy Quran so much as he related this
Hadith.