Cleverness
Ima`m Abu` Ja'far, peace be on him, praised cleverness. He regarded it as the only source of man's happiness and righteousness. He, peace be on him, said: "The goodness of all coexistence and living together is a full measure. Two thirds of the measure are cleverness. And one third of it is heedlessness. Nothing has a portion of good and righteousness except cleverness. That is because man feigns inattention to the things which he realizes and knows.
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How wonderful this maxim is! A religious scholar commented on it, saying: "Indeed, it has gathered together all the righteousness of the affairs of the world.
Contemplation
Ima`m Abu` Ja'far, peace be on him, summoned Moslems to think things over. He, peace be on him, said: "Through thinking (things) over, the fruitful opinion is concluded.
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1. Usul al-Kafi, vol. 1, p. 10.
2. Al-Mubarrad, al-Kamil, vol. 1, p. 76.
3. Jami'al-Sa'adat, vol. 1, p. 165.
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This word is among the wonderful maxims. Man can come to a correct genuine opinion through considering things carefully. He can conclude scientific facts and inventions through contemplating things. It is impossible for him to come to that without contemplation.
Noble Manners
Ima`m Abu` Ja'far, peace be on him, took care of spreading high moral standards among people. For they are necessary for building a Moslem society. Tradition books are full of his wise words. The following are some of them:
1. Kindness
As for kindness to people, it plays an important role in strengthening social ties and spreading love and friendship among people. Islam has urged Moslems to cling to kindness to people. Ima`m Abu` Ja'far (al-Ba`qir), peace be on him, said: "Continuous kindness is the best means with me.
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The most lovable things with the Ima`m, peace be on him, was continuing kindness to people, for he wanted to plant love and affection in their hearts through it.
2. Fairness
In many of his traditions, Ima`m Abu` Ja'far, peace be on him, urged Moslems to treat people with fairness. Among what he said is the following:
A. He, peace be on him, said: "Indeed, Allah singles out people from among His creatures for fairness. He makes them love fairness. He makes them love fair acts. Then He orders the seekers of fairness to go to them. Then He makes it easy for them to do fairness, as He makes it easy for rain (to come down) to the arid land to enliven it and its people. Allah singles out people from among His creatures to be enemies of fairness. He makes them hate fairness. And He makes
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1. Tuhaf al-0'Uqul, pp. 296.
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them hate fair acts. He prevents the seekers of fairness
from going to them, as He prevents rain from (coming down) to the arid land to ruin it and its people. And what Allah forgives is more (than this).
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B. He, peace be on him, said: "Fair acts prevent evil deaths (from happening). Every fair act is alms. The people of fairness here are the people of fairness in the hereafter. The people of the abominable acts here are the people of the abominable acts in the hereafter. The people of the fair acts will be the first to enter the garden. The people of the abominable acts will be the first to enter the Fire.
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3. Kindness should be Equivalent to Fairness
Ima`m Abu` Ja'far, peace be on him, ordered his companions to repay fairness with much more kindness. He, peace be on him, said: "Whoever does a favor like that which is done for him returns like for like. Whoever doubles the favor is grateful. Whoever thanks (people for their favors) is generous. He who knows that what he does is for his own interest should not find people slow in their gratefulness (for him), nor should he ask them for more love (for him). So, do not ask other than you to thank you for what you do for your own interest, and through which you protect your honor. Know that the one who asks you for a need does not honor himself when he asks you (for a need). So, honor yourself through fulfilling his need.
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When the Ima`m, peace be on him, had ordered his companions to return like for like, he summoned them to do kindness for kindness. He ordered them not to ask people for a reward. For they did that for their own interests and honor.
Rules of Conduct
Ima`m Abu` Ja'far (al-Ba`qir), peace be on him, urged his companions to treat people according to the rules of social conduct.
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1. Ibid, p. 295.
2. Al-Saduq, al-Amali, p. 225.
3. Tuhaf al-'Uqul, p. 300.
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Among these rules are the following:
1. Cheerfulness
He, peace be on him, asked his companions to meet people with cheerfulness and good words. He, peace be on him, said: "Good words and cheerfulness lead to love and nearness to Allah. Bad words and frowning lead to hate and remoteness from Allah.
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2. Treating people kindly
He, peace be on him, urged his companions to treat people kindly. He, peace be on him, said: "Say to people the best (words) which you want them to say to you. For Allah hates the one who curses and abuses and defames the believers. He detests the one who uses an obscene language and insists on begging. He loves the one who is modest, clement, chaste.
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Moslem’s Rights
He, peace be on him, denoted the rights which Islam legislated for the Moslem towards his Moslem brother. He, peace be on him, said: "Love your Moslem brother. Love for him what you love for yourself. Hate for him what you hate for yourself. When you are in need of (a certain thing), then ask him for that. When he asks you for (a certain need), then give (it) to him. If you spare no good for him, he will spare no good for you. If you help him, he will help you. If he is absent, then keep him during his absence. If he is present, then visit him, and respect him. For he is from you, and you are from him. If he admonishes you, then do not leave him till his hate comes to an end. If good befalls him, then thank Allah for that. If a tribulation afflicts
him, then help him.
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If Moslems put into effect these excellent teachings, they will be the strongest of all the peoples of the world, and nations will not invade them, enslave them, and plunder their wealth. However, they
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1. Ibid, p. 296.
2. Ibid, p. 300.
3. Al-Saduq, al-Amali, p. 288.
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have deviated from these true teachings, so they have become weak humble parties. "Each party is happy with that which it has.
Fulfilling the Moslem’s Need
Ima`m Abu` Ja'far, peace be on him, summoned the Moslems to fulfill the needs of their Moslem brothers. He warned them from leaving them. He, peace be on him, said: "If the servant refrains from helping his Moslem brother and does not strive to fulfill his need, he will be afflicted by the need causing a sin not a reward. If the servants refrains from spending on that which pleases Allah, then he will be afflicted by spending a hundred fold on that which displeases Allah.
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Relations with Womb Relatives
Islam takes care of the relations with womb relatives. It summons Moslems to cling to them, for they strengthen the family and lead the community to fruitful results. Ima`m Abu` Ja'far, peace be on him, urged the Moslems to cleave to them. He, peace be on him, said: "Relations with blood relatives increase acts, develop properties, repel the tribulation, make easy the reckoning, and postpone the a fixed term (of death).
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Alms
Ima`m Abu` Ja'far, peace be on him, underlined alms. He mentioned the advantages which the one who gives alms obtains. He mentioned that before his companions. He, peace be on him, said: "Shall I tell you about the thing that drives away the ruler and the Satan from you?
Yes, tell us to do it,"replied Abu` Hamza.
He, peace be on him, said: "Give alms early in the morning. For it blackens the Satan's face and breaks the greediness of the oppressive ruler on that days of
yours. Love each other for Allah. Help each other with the good
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1. Tuhaf al-'Uqul, p. 292.
2. Ibid, p. 298.
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deeds. For such deeds put end to the Satan and the oppressive ruler. Insist on asking Allah for forgiveness, for such insistence erases sins.
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Pity for the Orphan
Ima`m Abu` Ja'far (al-Ba`qir), peace be on him, urged the Moslems to feel pity for the orphan and to have affection for the weak. He, peace be on him, said: "Whoever has four (qualities), Allah will build a house for him in the garden. The one who shelters the orphan, has mercy on the weak, feel compassion for his
parents, and treats his slave gently.
Good Qualities
Ima`m Abu` Ja'far, peace be on him, talked about the good qualities that draw the servant nearer to Allah and make him far from His wrath and punishment. He, peace be on him, said: "Whoever has four (qualities), his Islam is perfect, is helped with his faith, his sins are erased, and meets Allah, the Great and
Almighty, while He is pleased with him. If he has sins from his head to his feet, Allah forgives him his sins. They are: Loyalty to Allah, the truthfulness of the tongue with the people, shame of the ugly (things) with Allah and people, and good manners towards the family and people. The believer who has four (qualities), Allah, the Exalted, will make him live in the rooms on the rooms in the most high gardens. It is he who shelters the orphan, has mercy on him, and is like the father for him. It is he who has mercy on the weak, helps them, and suffices them. It is he who spends on his parents, treats them gently, and pleases them. And it is he who helps and suffices his slave.
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The Ima`m, peace be on him, ordered man to do all things that drew him nearer to his Lord. He guided him to the good deeds which Allah loved, for which He rewarded him very much, and for which He did him many favors.
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1. Ibid.
2. Al-Khisal, p. 204.
3. Al-Durr al-Nazim, p. 191.
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Silence
The Ima`m, peace be on him, summoned the Moslems to cling to silence. He ordered them to refrain from saying useless words. He, peace be on him, said: "Indeed, this tongue is the key of all good and evil. So, the believer must seal his tongue as he seals his gold and silver. For Allah's Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family, said: 'May Allah have mercy of the believer who restrains his tongue from all evil. For that is alms from him for himself. No one is safe from sins unless he restrains his tongue.
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Bad Qualities and Deeds
The Ima`m, peace be on him, warned the Moslems from having bad qualities and abominable deeds. The following are some of the traditions reported on his authority:
1. He, peace be on him, said: "If some haughtiness enters the person's heart, some of his reason decreases.
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He, peace be on him, said: "The haughty one quarrels with Allah about His gown.
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Indeed, haughtiness results from ignorance and the decrease of reason. If man knows that he will be a mass of mean earth after death, he shows no haughtiness towards Allah's creatures.
2. The Ima`m, peace be on him, dispraised the hypocrite person, who is double-faced and double-tongued. He, peace be on him, said: "Bad is the servant who is double-faced and double-tongued. He flatters his brother when he is present. He backbites him when he is absent. He envies him brother when he is given. He betrays him when he is afflicted by a tribulation.
4 These qualities denotes that such a person has an evil soul, that he has no morals, and that he has no faith in his Lord.
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1. Tuhaf al-'Uqul, p. 298.
2. Safwat al-Safwa, vol. 2, p. 61.
3. Tuhaf al-'Uqul.
4. Al-Saduq, al-Amali, p. 30.
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3. The Ima`m, peace be on him, warned the Moslems from having the following qualities. He, peace be on him, said: "Bad is captivity after victory, depression after the misfortune, rudeness with the poor, cruelty with the neighbor, miserliness towards the relative, disagreement with the friend, misbehavior towards the family, impudence through the power, greediness during poverty, backbiting the friend, telling lies, the slander, perfidy from the ruler, the rage from the generous. Whoever asks more than his right is worth of deprivation. Setting right the one who does not know dignity is through disgracing him. The careful one rises (in rank). The cautious one finds (good).
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Whoever refrains from these qualities is endowed with high moral standards and is among the unique people.
4. The Ima`m, peace be on him, prevented the Moslems from practicing the following qualities. He, peace be on him, said: "The owner of three traits will not die till he sees their evil results: oppression, cutting off ties of relations, and binding oath through which he fights with Allah. Indeed the quickest obedience in reward is the relations with womb relatives. Perhaps some people are sinners. However, they visit each other. So, their properties increase and they become rich. Binding oath and cutting off ties of
relations leave houses empty of their people.
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5. The Ima`m, peace be on him, hated the people who were endowed with the following traits. He, peace be on him, said: "Four (traits) lead to the quickest punishment: The person whom you treat with kindness but he mistreats you. The person who you do not oppress but oppresses you. The person to whom you are loyal but he betrays you. The person who visits his relations but they end their relationship with him.
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6. The Ima`m, peace be on him, prevented the Moslems from drinking wine. For it is among the mortal sins. He, peace be on him,
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1. Ibn Hamdun, Tadhkirat, p. 60.
2. Tuaf al-'Uqul, p. 294.
3. Al-Khisal, p. 210.
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said: "Indeed the one who is alcoholic is like the one who worships the idol. Wine makes him shake, and destroys his manhood. It makes him violate the prohibitions such as shedding blood and committing fornication.
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Surely, wine is the source of all sins and offenses. It is among the social catastrophes that defame man and leads him to commit all the prohibitions. As for its bodily damages, we have talked about them in one of our books.
7. The Ima`m, peace be on him, dispraised the person who used obscene language. He, peace be on him, said: "Surely, Allah detests the one who uses obscene language.
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Backbiting and Slander
The Ima`m, peace be on him, made a distinction between backbiting and slander. He, peace be on him, said: "It is an act of backbiting to say concerning your brother what Allah conceals for him. As for the manifest traits of him such as fury and hastiness, there is no harm in mentioning them. As for slander, it is that you say concerning your brother what he has not.
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Anger and its Remedy
The Ima`m, peace be on him, warned the Moslems from anger. He provided a remedy for it. He, peace be on him, said : "Indeed this anger is an ember from Satan. The ember is burnt in the heart of the son of Adam (i. e. , man). When one of you becomes angry, his eyes become red and his jugular veins become swollen. Thus, Satan enters him. When he becomes angry, he must sit on the ground. With that he removes the cunning of Satan.
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Ima`m Abu` Ja'far (al-Ba`qir), peace be on him, underlined the affair of anger. He warned the Moslems of its final results. Ima`m al-
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1. Al-Bihar, vol. 16, p. 771.
2. Tuhaf al-'Uqul, p. 296.
3. Ibid, p. 298.
4. Jami' al-Sa'adat, vol. 1, p. 289.
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Sa`diq, peace be on him, said: "My father said: 'There is nothing more intense than anger. Perhaps the person becomes angry. So, he kills the soul which Allah has forbidden and defames the chaste woman.
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Ima`m Abu` Ja'far, peace be on him, said: "The person sometimes becomes angry and continues his anger till he enters the Fire.
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