"The right of your ritual prayer (sala`t) is that you know that it is an arrival before Allah and that through it you are standing before Him. When you know that, then you will stand in the station of him who is lowly, vile, beseeching, trembling, hopeful, fearful, and abased, and you will magnify Him who is before you through stillness and dignity. You will approach the prayer with your heart and you will perform it according to its bounds and rights. There is no strength save in Allah."
As for the prayer, it is the greatest of all the religious rites, and the most important of them in Islam. It is the sacrifice of those who have reverential fear, as it has been mentioned in the tradition, and is an arrival before Allah. Its right against the Muslim is that he knows that he is standing before the Almighty King, the Creator of the heavens and the earth and Giver of life. He should turn all his feelings and sentiments toward Allah. He should stand before Him in the station of him who is lowly, vile, beseeching that which is with Allah, fearful of His punishment, hopeful for His forgiveness and good
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pleasure. He should perform the prayers with stillness, dignity, humble limbs, and good whispered prayers. He should not occupy his mind with any of the world's affairs. He should ask Allah to forgive him his sins and offenses, and to release his neck from the Fire.
11. Rights of Fasting
"The right of fasting is that you know it is a veil which Allah has set up over your tongue, your hearing, your sight, your stomach, and your private part to protect you from the Fire. If you abandon the fast, you will have torn Allah's protective covering away from yourself. There is no strength save in Allah."
As for fasting, it is among the most important beliefs in Islam. It has been mentioned in the tradition that it is protection from the Fire. Many psychological, moral, economic, social, and health profits result from it. Among them is that it strengthens the activity of will through which man achieves his important objectives in life. The Muslim researchers have mentioned the profits which result from fasting and written books about them.
Any how, in his words, the Ima`m has mentioned what the fasting should do during their fast. He has mentioned that they should not confine their fasting to refraining from food and drink; rather they should withhold their tongues from telling lies and falsehood, their ears from backbiting, their private parts from the unlawful, and their stomachs from the forbidden, that they may save themselves from Allah's chastisement and punishment.
12. Rights of Sadaqa
"The right of alms (sadaqa) is that you know it is a storing away with your Lord and a deposit for which you will have no need for witness. If you deposit it in secret, you will be more confident of it than if you deposit it in public. You should know that it repels afflictions and illnesses from you in this world and it will repel the
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Fire from you in the next world. There is no strength save in Allah." The Ima`m, peace be on him, underlined the importance of alms and regarded it as a storing away for the alms-giver with Allah. One gives alms for himself, for he will find it present with Allah on the day when neither property nor children profit him. Also the Ima`m, peace be on him, stressed the importance of giving alms in secret, and that it should be free from reminding someone of it, for it is, in fact, belongs to him, so how does he remind the others of it? As secret alms was important, the Ima`m maintained a hundred families in Medina (Yathrib), while they did not recognize him who maintained them. We mentioned this in the previous chapters.
13. Rights of Hady
"The right of animals for immolation (hady) is that through it you desire Allah and you not desire His creation; through it you desire only the exposure of your soul to Allah's mercy and the deliverance of your spirit on the day you encounter Him. There is no strength save in Allah."
In this paragraph, the Ima`m, peace be on him, has mentioned the rights of al-hady or the animals which the pilgrims to the Sacred House of Allah sacrifice at Mina`, in Mecca. The Ima`m highlighted that one should desire Allah through al-hady; he should not mix it with any corrupt intention such as dissimulation and seeking reputation, for Allah, the Exalted, does not accept such a sacrifice. Then the Ima`m, peace be on him, mentioned that one could approach Allah through doing easy works, not difficult ones, for He did not legislate any difficult obligation.
14. Rights of Ima`ms
"The right of the possessor of authority (sulta`n) is that you know that you have been made as a trial for him. Allah is testing him through the authority He has given him over you. You should give
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him a sincere counsel, and should not quarrel with him. You should not expose yourself to his displeasure, for thereby you cast yourself by your hands into destruction and become his partner in his sin when he brings evil down upon you. And there is no strength save in Allah"
In these words the Ima`m, peace be on him, had highlighted the political affairs before he spoke about the rights. He mentioned the rights of the Ima`ms and rulers against subjects. He thought that kings, rulers, and governors were tried through their subjects. This is because of authority, which is among the most important factors of trial and seduction. As for the rights of kings and rulers against their subjects, they are:
A. They should be loyal to the legal authority and give it more counsel, that it may offer them more services such as construction, spreading security and welfare, and developing the country in all fields. It is natural that when the authority leads a life full of anxieties, disorders, and discords, it will be unable to carry out its duties.
B. They should not quarrel with the authority, for such quarrel brings about an inclusive destruction.
C. They should be mild toward the authority and respect it in a manner which does not oppose the religion.
D. They should not oppose and disobey the authority, for such an opposition and disobedience bring about serious damages for government and people.
These are some rights of the authority against its subjects, which are necessary for the unity between people and their government.
15. Rights of Teacher
"The right of the one who trains you (sa`'is) through knowledge is magnifying him, respecting his sessions, listening well to him, and attending to him with devotion. You should not rise your voice toward
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him. You should never answer anyone who asks him about something, in order that he may be the one who answers. You should not speak to anyone in his session nor speak ill of anyone with him. If anyone ever speaks ill of him in your presence, you should defend him. You should conceal his faults and manifest his virtues. You should not sit with him in enmity or show hostility toward him in friendship. If you do all of this, Allah's angels will give witness for you that you went straight to him and learned his knowledge for Allah's sake, not for the sake of the people. And there is neither force nor strength save in Allah."
Surely, the teacher is the maker of thought and civilization and does favor for all mankind, and especially as it concerns the learner, hence the Ima`m, peace be on him, praised his position and asked the learner to:
A. Magnify and honor him with all kinds of magnification and honoring, for he does him great favor.
B. Respect his sessions and to be polite during them.
C. Listen carefully to his lectures, and attend to them with devotion.
D. Empty his intellect to understand his lessons. It is natural that the student who does not devote himself to his teacher does not make of his attending his teacher's sessions.
E. Leave pleasures and desires, for they are two basic conditions for learning sciences, especially the religious sciences, for he who devotes himself to pleasures learns nothing of sciences.
F. To immortalize his teacher's message through spreading his knowledge.
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16. Rights of Owner
"The right of him who trains you through property is that you should obey him and not disobey him, unless disobeying him would displease Allah, for there can be no obedience to a creature when it is disobedience to Allah. And there is no strength save in Allah."
It is certain that if the Ima`ms from among the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt) , peace be on them, had undertaken the leadership of the community after the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, they would have abolish slavery, and there would have been no trace of it in the world of existence. In the previous chapters, we mentioned that Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him, always released slaves to abolish slavery and to rescue man from bondage. Also the Ima`ms, peace be on them, treated their slaves with kindness, mercy, and affection.
Any how, the Ima`m, peace be on him, mentioned the owner's rights against his slaves; he made it incumbent on them to obey him, , unless obeying him would displease Allah.
17. Rights of Subjects
"The right of your subjects through authority is that you should know that they have been made subjects through their weakness and your strength. Hence it is incumbent on you to act with justice toward them and to be like a compassionate father toward them. You should forgive them their ignorance and not hurry them to punishment and you should thank Allah for the power over them which He has given to you. And there is no strength save in Allah."
The Ima`m, peace be on him, carefully considered the governments standing in his time and found them standing on force and oppression. The people did not elect them, hence they yielded to oppression and abasement, and hence the Ima`m advised those rulers to act with justice toward them and to be like a compassionate father toward them. Besides he advised them to thank Allah for His favors.
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18. Rights of Learners
"The right of your subjects through knowledge is that you should know that Allah made you a caretaker over them only through knowledge He has given you and His storehouses which He has opened up to you. If you do well in teaching the people, not treating them roughly or annoying them, then Allah will increase His bounty toward you. But if you withhold your knowledge from them or treat them roughly when they seek knowledge from you, then it will be Allah's right to deprive you of knowledge and its splendor and to make fall from your place in people's hears."
The great Ima`m, peace be on him, urged the religious scholars to spread knowledge among learners and to make it a right against them. Allah, the Exalted, has provided the religious scholars with knowledge and wisdom, namely, He has made them caretakers over knowledge. If they spread it among the learners, they will carry out their duties and deliver their message; otherwise they will be traitors and oppressors, and they will expose themselves to Allah's vengeance and wrath.
19. Rights of Wife (Mamlu`ka)
"The right of your wife (mamlu`ka) is that you know that Allah has made her a repose and a comfort for you; you should know that she is Allah's favor toward you, so you should honor her and treat her gently. Though her right toward you is more incumbent, you must treat her with compassion, since she is your prisoner (asir) whom you feed and clothe. If she is ignorant, you should pardon her. And there is no strength save in Allah." The Ima`m, peace be on him, advised the husband to honor his wife and treat her gently.
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20. Rights of Slave (Mamlu`k)
"The right of your slave (mamlu`k) is that you should know that he is the creature of your Lord, the son of your father and mother, and your flesh and blood. You own him, but you did not make him; Allah made him. You did not create any of his limbs, nor did you supply him with his sustenance; on the contrary, Allah gives you the sufficiency for that. Then He subjugated him to you, entrusted him to you, and deposited him with you so that you may be safeguarded by the good you give to him. So act well toward him, just as Allah has acted well toward you. If you dislike him, replace him, but do not torment a creature of Allah. And there is no strength save in Allah."
Depending on Islam, the great Ima`m, peace be on him, regarded the slave as a free man, for Allah created him, created for him hearing and sight, provided him with provision, just as He did toward the fee man, hence the owner has no right to show haughtiness toward him or to tire him. Rather it is incumbent on the owner to treat his slave kindly; he should feed him from what he eats, clothe him from what he wears, and regards him as one of the members of his family. With this Islam could maintain slaves' rights and repelled from them any defect or enmity.
"The right of your mother is that you know she carried you where no one carries anyone, she gave to you of the fruit of her heart that which no one gives to anyone, and she protected your with her organs. She did not care if she went hungry as long as you ate, if she was thirsty as long as you drank, if she was naked as long as you were clothed, if she was in the sun as long as were in the shade. She gave you sleep for your sake, she protected you from heat and cold, all in order that you might belong to her. You are not be able to show her gratitude, unless through Allah's help and giving success."
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What great mother's rights are! How numerous her favors toward her child are! It is she who makes her child's life. Had it for her pity and affection, he would not have lived. She takes care of him with her own soul when he is formed, bears the burdens of pregnancy, and the dangers of giving birth. After giving birth to him, she melts herself for him, spares no effort to safeguard him, passes the night awake for him, continues serving him sincerely, and looks after him with love and affection until he grows up and makes his way in life. When he separates or goes away from her, she feels that life separates from her. Mohammed b. al-Walid composed the following concerning the parents' feelings toward their child:
The mother becomes exited and perplexed out of love for
him, and the tears flow from his father's eyes.
They suffer the distresses of death out of his separation
and disclose their hidden yearning for him.
If the child knew the distress his parents face when he
separates from them, he will lament for the mother from
whose womb he is drawn, weep for the old man who
wanders in his horizons, change his disdainful manner
into his affection, and repay them through his agreeable
manners.1
22. Rights of Father
"The right of your father is that you know that he is your root. Without him, you would not be. Whenever you see anything in
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1 Mu'jam al-Bulda`n, vol. 4, p. 3.
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yourself which pleases you, know that your father is the root of its blessing upon you. So praise Allah and thank him in that measure. And there is no strength save in Allah."
As for the father's right against his child, it is very great, for he is his origin. Were it not for the father, the child would not have come to the world, hence the child should take care of his father's rights and undertake his affairs, especially during his old age.
23. Rights of Child
"The right of your child is that you should know that he is from you and will be ascribed to you, through both his good and his evil, in the immediate affairs of this world. You are responsible for what has been entrusted to you, such as educating him in good conduct, pointing him in the direction of his Lord, and helping him to obey Him. So act toward him with the action of one who knows that he will be rewarded for good doing toward him and punished for evildoing. And there is no strength save in Allah."
The child is a natural extension to his father's life and duration to his existence. He is part of his father; rather he is his whole. In his will to his son (the pure Ima`m, al-Hasan, peace be on him(Ima`m 'Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, said: "I have found you part of me; rather I have found you my whole to the extent that if anything befalls you, it befalls me; if death comes to you, it comes to me, hence your affairs concern me just as my affairs concern me."
Islamic education holds father responsible for educating his child and makes it incumbent on him to plant the highest moral traits in him, to accustom him to the most excellent habits, to turn him aside from vices, to establish for him proofs for the existence of the Great Creator, Who has power over all things. If the father does this, he fulfills his duties toward his child and society, for the righteous person is an adobe in building society. If he does not do this, Allah will question and punish him.
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24. Rights of Brother
"The right of your brother is that you know that he is your hand, your might, and your strength. Take him not as a weapon with which to disobey Allah, nor as equipment with which to wrong Allah's creatures. Do not neglect to help him against his enemy or to give him good counsel. If he obeys Allah, well and good, but if not, you should honor Allah more than him."
As for the brother, he is his brother's hand, his might, and his strength. He is his support during afflictions and hardships. The Ima`m, peace be on him, has mentioned the rights of the brother as follows:
A. You should not take you brother as a weapon with which you disobey Allah.
B. You should not ask him for help to wrong the people and to aggress against them without any right.
C. You should not neglect to help him against himself; you should guide him to the way of good and show him the path to guidance.
D. You should help him against his enemy, Satan; you should warn your brother against him, frighten your brother with Allah's punishment, lest Satan should delude him and turn him away from the straight path.
E. You should not neglect to give him good counsel concerning the affairs of this world and the next. If he obeys Allah, well and good, but if not, you should honor Allah more than him.
25. Rights of Master (Mawla`)
"The right of your master (mawla`) who has favored you (by freeing you from slavery) is that you know that he has spent his
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property for you and brought you out of the basement and estrangement of bondage to the exaltation and comfort of freedom. He has freed you from the captivity of possession and loosened the bonds of slavehood from you. He has brought you out of the prison of subjugation, given you ownership of yourself, and given you leisure to worship your Lord. You should know that he is the closest of Allah's creatures to you in your life and your death and that aiding him with your life and what he needs from you is incumbent upon you." The master has great rights against his slave whom he releases from slavery, for he unties from him fetters, saves him from the abasement of bondage, makes him taste the exaltation and comfort of freedom; he does him favors. Hence the slave should thank his master for his favors through supporting and helping him.
26. Rights of Slave (Mawla`)
"The right of the slave (mawla`) whom you have favored (by freeing him) is that you know that Allah has made you freeing him a means of access to Him and a veil against the Fire. Your immediate reward is to inherit from him(if he does not have any maternal relatives(as a compensation for the property you have spent for him, and your ultimate reward is the Garden. And there is no strength save in Allah."
The Ima`m, peace be on him, summons the master to take care of his slaves' rights, for Allah charges him with them and appoints him as a protector over them, hence it is incumbent on him to take care of their rights, and to treat them kindly. If he does this, Allah will repay him through protecting him from the Fire.
27. Rights of Sa`hib al-Ma'ru`f
"The right of him who does a kindly act (sa`hib al-ma'ru`f) toward you is that you thank him and mention his kindness; you reward him with beautiful words and you supplicate for him sincerely in that which between you and Allah. If you do that, you have thanked
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him secretly and openly. Then, if you are able to repay him one day, you repay him."
Islam has objectively adopted the summons to kindly acts. It urges men to thank the good-doer and to encourage him to continue this high quality which aims at spreading solidarity among the members of society.
The Ima`m, peace be on him, urges the Muslims to thank the good-doer through proclaiming his kindly acts among men and supplicating Allah to repay him.
28. Rights of Mu'azzin
"The right of the mu'azzin (the one who calls the people to prayers) is that you know he is reminding you of your Lord, calling you to your good fortune, and helping you to accomplish what Allah has made obligatory upon you. So thank him for that just as you thank one who does good to you. And there is no strength save in Allah."
As for the mu'azzin, he has rights against the Muslims, for he reminds them of the times of the ritual prayers, which are the most important obligations in Islam, hence they should show thanks and respect toward him.
29. Rights of Ima`m in Congregational Prayer
"The right of your Ima`m in your ritual prayer is that you know that he has taken on the role of mediator between you and your Lord. He speaks for you, but you do not speak for him; he supplicates for you, but you do not supplicate for him. He has spared you the terror of standing before Allah. If he performs the prayer imperfectly, that belongs to him and not to you; but if he performs it perfectly, you are his partner, and he has no excellence over you. He protects your soul through his soul and your prayer through his prayer, so thank him in that measure. And there is no force and no strength save in Allah."
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As for the Ima`m in the congregational prayers, he has great rights against those who perform the ritual prayers behind him, for abundant repayment results from the congregational prayers. The traditions support each other about the certain permissible performing of the prayers. They state that the more the performers of the congregational prayers are, the more their repayment and wages are. It is well known that the performers of the congregational prayers obtain great wages because of the Ima`m who takes on the role of mediator between them and Allah, the Exalted, as well as he recites on their behalf al-Fa`tiha and another sura.
30. Rights of Sitting Companion
"The right of your sitting companion (jalis) is that you treat him mildly, show fairness toward him while vying with him in discourse, and do not stand up from sitting with him without his permission. But it is permissible for him who sits with to leave without asking your permission. You should forget his slips and remember his good qualities, and you should tell nothing about him but good. And there is no strength save in Allah." How wonderful the Islamic social regime is! It takes care of social and individual affairs, brings nearer feelings and sentiments, and abolishes enmities that divide the Muslims. An example of what Islam has legislated in this respect is the sitting companion's rights, which are as follows:
A. You should mildly treat your sitting companion through honoring and respecting him.
B. You should show fairness toward him while vying with him in discourse; you should not show vainglory and haughtiness toward him.
C. You should make him understand your words.
D. You should not exaggerate his affairs.
E. You should not stand up from sitting with him without his permission.
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If the Muslims put these morals into effect in their life, love and affection will spread among them.
31. Rights of Neighbor
"The right of your neighbor (ja`r) is that you guard him when he is absent, honor him when he is present, and aid him when he is wronged. You do not pursue anything of his that is shameful; if you know any evil from him, you conceal it. If you know that he will accept your counsel, you counsel him in that which is between him and you. You do not forsake him in difficulty, you release him from his stumble, you forgive his sin, and you associate with him generously. And there is neither force nor strength save in Allah."
Islam takes great care of neighbor and urges the Muslims to take care of him. Ima`m 'Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, said: "Allah's Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, advised us (to take care of neighbor) to the extent that we though that he would appoint him as inheritor." Besides the authentic traditions of the Ima`ms of guidance, peace be on him, urge the Muslims to take care of the neighbor's affairs. Through this moral quality the Muslims can establish social solidarity and avoid differences and discords. Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him, has displayed the neighbor's rights as follows:
A. You should guard your neighbor when he is absent; you should guard his property and family, and prevent the detested things from reaching him.
B. You should honor him when he is present.
C. You should support and help him when his absent and present.
D. You should not pursue anything of him that is shameful.
E. You should conceal his evil deeds and not spread them among the people.
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F. You should not abandon him when an affliction befalls him; rather you should help him in solving it.
G. You should not envy him when Allah does him a favor.
H. You should release his stumbles and pardon his slips.
I. You should show forbearance toward him when he does an evil deed; do not return like for like.
J. You should repel him who abuses him or remembers him with evil.
K. You should not believe him who informs against him, lest he should stir up enmity between him and you.
L. Associate with him in a noble manner.
These rights(which the Ima`m, peace be on him, declared(bring about the unity of the Muslims, spread love and affection among them.
32. Rights of Companion
"The right of the companion (sa`hib) is that you act as his companion with bounty and in fairness. You honor him as he honors you and you do not let him be the first with generosity. If he is the first, you repay him. You wish for him as he wishes for you and you restrain him from any act of disobedience he might attempt. Be a mercy for him, not a chastisement. And there is no strength save in Allah."
The Ima`m, peace be on him, has showed the companion's rights as follows:
A. Companionship should stand on bounty fairness.
B. The companions should safeguard each other.
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C. Companionship should stand on affection, love, and brotherhood.
D. The companions should counsel each other.
E. They should help each other to obey Allah, the Exalted, and to refrain from disobeying Him.
F. Companionship should stand on mercy and favor, not on torture and vengeance.
33. Rights of Partner
"The right of partner (sharik) is that if he should be absent, you suffice him in his affairs, and if he should be present, you show regard for him. You make no decision without his decision and you do nothing on the basis of your own opinion, but you exchange views with him. You guard his property for him, and you do not betray him in that of his affair which is difficult or of little importance, for Allah's hand is above the hands of two partners as long as they do not betray each other. And there is no strength save in Allah."
The financial association in Islam is based on developing property and spreading honesty between the two partners, who have no right to dispose of property unless they permit each other. They should exchange views with each other concerning the affairs of the mutual property, such as sale and transport. They both should preserve property and not betray or neglect it. If one of them neglects it, he should be punished and fined.
34. Rights of Property
"The right of property (ma`l) is that you take it only from what is lawful and you spend it only in what is proper. Through it you should not prefer above yourself those who will praise you. You should act with it in obedience to your Lord and not be miserly with it, lest you
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fall back into regret and remorse while suffering the ill consequence. And there is no strength save in Allah."
As for the right of property (ma`l) in Islam, it is that the Muslim should take it only from lawful ways such as lawful earnings. If he takes it from unlawful ways such as usury, he commits sins as well as Allah will punish him. Through these measures Islam has based its economy on the most modern methods which do not let a group of people heap up property and deprive the others of it. Hence, the Ima`m, peace be on him, summons the Muslims to spend their properties on lawful things such as hospitals, schools, and libraries. The Muslims sometimes do not spend their properties on such things and store them for their inheritors. They will commit sins when their inheritors spend their properties on things leading to disobeying Allah, for they help them commit such acts of disobedience. Besides they will gain nothing except remorse and loss when their inheritors spend their properties on acts of obedience to Allah.
