Taqwa (Piety) Advice of Ahl Al-Bayt

8/9/2019 Taqwa (Piety) Advice of Ahl Al-Bayt

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Taqwa (Piety) Advice of Ahl al-Bayt$og in %&' or register %' to post !omments*amples o" Taqwa (Piety) in the Holy +uran and the ,unnah o" Ahl al-#ayt (as)

Author(s):l ,ayyed Hussain ,heih al-slami Tooyserani %'

Translator(s):l Ali Abar Aghili Ashtiani %0'

Publisher(s):l Ansariyan Publi!ations - +um %1'

Category:l The & mams %2'l Hadith 3olle!tions %4'l 5eneral %6'

Miscellaneous inforation: Taqwa (Piety) Adi!e o" Ahl al-#ayt (as). Author: ,ayyed Hussain ,heih al-slami Tooyserani. Translator: Ali Abar Aghili Ashtiani . Publisher: AnsariyanPubli!ations7 +um.,#8: 946-920-&9-29-

!eatured Category:l ntrodu!ing the Ahlul #ayt %9'l ;esour!es "or


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good end7 todistinguish between Eusti!e and inEusti!e7 to a!quire real nowledge7 to obtaindiinepleasure and a proision "or the herea"ter.8eertheless7 they wonder what that "a!tor is. ery group o" people may!onsider an ideal"or themseles but they will rea!h nowhere unless they !ome to now it throughslam.Piety is what slam has introdu!ed as an answer and it will be elaborated in the"ollowingdis!ussions.Jne must note that piety as presented by !ertain people is not against "reedomrather it isimmunity "rom bestial li"e as mam Ali (A,) has said: ?Jbsere piety so that youwill besa"eguarded.& The mam has also said that piety is "reedom "rom eeryseritude.

There"ore7 being pious does not mean to be !aptie or to deny oneCs "reedom7rather7 apious man has "reed himsel" "rom what is harm"ul to him and is sa"eguarded "romall harms.Bhen a person builds a strong house "or himsel" or when he is in warm !lothesthey neersay he is a !aptie or he has denied himsel" "reedom7 but they say it is "or theprote!tion o" his li"e and wealth against illness and dangers.Jne must note that there are two types o" piety or sel"-restraint.


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irtue7 or when it is said ?Piety is the strongest "oundation. lsewhere7 it issaid ?Peoplehae not been re!ommended to anything greater than piety0.n other !ases7 a spe!i! subEe!t has been in!luded lie when it is said ?Aoidsmall lieswhen taling seriously or Eoingly 17 or when it is said ?Aoid open sins.n other !ases7 time is in!luded lie when it is said ?


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by thehonorable manager o" Ansarian publi!ation7 Fr. HaEE Fuhammad Taqi Ansarian7 adeoteeo" Ahl al-#ayt.


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"ull o" thistlesG The one who had ased the question said: ? will eep awaymysel" "rom it.the as!eti! said: ?Ko the same in world7 it is Taqwa.An Arab poet says: ?#e lie one who wals on a pie!e o" land with thistles in itQ hewillobiously eep away "rom it. Tae no small sin lightly7 "or mountains are made upo" sands.mam Ali (A,) has been quoted as saying: ?Taqwa is to aoid sins.#eing ased about Taqwa7 mam ,adiq (A,) said: ?Taqwa is to be present in apla!e 5odhas ordered and to be absent "rom a pla!e He has prohibited.A great part o" suppli!ations signies the same meaning: ?J Allah7 nd me not ina pla!e

Oou hae "orbidden.


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of oneself.%n another erse7 Allah says: “and 'hoever is areful of (his duty to) Allah,"e 'ill $a!e for hi$ an outlet and give hi$ sustenane fro$ 'hene he thin!snot.%n this !onne!tion7 there are other erses whi!h will be mentioned in the "ollowingpages.As "or narrations7 the late @oleini has reported OaCqoob ibn ,huCaib as saying: ?heardmam ,adiq (A,) say: ?Allah has not promoted a serant "rom the in"erior positiono" sin tothe superior position o" Taqwa unless He has made him independent withouthaing ri!hesand has honored him without haing any "amily and inship and has made himHis "riendwithout haing any human !ompanion. 0mam Ali (A,) has been reported as saying: ?People hae not been re!ommended

toanything greater than Taqwa7 "or it is the adi!e o" we7 the Ahl al-#ayt. 1Ased ?whi!h a!t is e*!ellentG7 mam Ali (A,) said: ?Taqwa. 2

The !ommander o" the belieers has been reported as saying: ?Bith Taqwa7 noa!t isunworthy. How !an an a!t be unworthy when it is a!!eptedG 4Hannan ibn ,adeer has reported his "ather and Abu LaC"ar as saying: ?,ome o" the!ompanions o" the holy prophet (,AB) were sitting in a pla!e boasting o" theirlineage.,alman al-


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their riders7 leading them to paradise. &n a sermon7 mam Ali (A,) says: ?J !reatures o" Allah adise you to hae "earo" Allahwhi!h is the proision ("or the ne*t world) and with it is (your) return. Thisproision wouldtae you (to your destination) and the return would be su!!ess"ul. The best one7who is ableto mae people listen7 has !alled towards it and the best listener has listened toit. ,o the!aller has pro!laimed and the listener has listened and presered.J !reatures o" Allah 3ertainly "ear o" Allah has saed the loers o" Allah "romunlaw"uldoings and gae drear to their hearts till their nights are spent in wae"ulnessand theirdays in thirst. ,o they a!hiee !om"ort through trouble and !opious wateringthrough thirst.

They regarded death to be near and there"ore hastened towards (good) a!tions.

TheyreEe!ted their desire and so they ept death in their sight. &&n another sermon7 mam Ali (A,) says: ?@now J !reatures o" Allah that piety is astronghouse o" prote!tion while impiety is a wea house whi!h does not prote!t itspeople7 anddoes not gie se!urity to him who taes re"uge therein. @now that the sting o"sins is !ut bypiety and the nal aim is a!hieed by !oni!tion o" belie".&,till in another sermon7 mam Ali (A,) has said: ? adise you J !reatures o" Allah7toe*er!ise "ear o" Allah and obey Him be!ause it is salation tomorrow and

delieran!e"oreer. &Jn the same topi!7 mam Ali (A,) says: ?J !reatures o" Allah adise you to hae"ear o" Allah be!ause it is the best adi!e to be mutually gien by persons7 and the besto" allthings be"ore Allah.&0

Taqwa has been mentioned in another sermon by mam Ali (A,) as "ollows: ?He(Allah) hasadised you to e*er!ise "ear and has made it the highest point o" His !reatures.

Oou should

there"ore "ear Allah7 Bho is su!h that you are as though Eust in "ront o" Him7 andyour"orelo!s are in His grip7 and your !hange o" position is in His !ontrol. " you!on!eal amatter7 He will now o" it. " you dis!lose a matter7 He will re!ord it.


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this abode isHis throne7 its light is His eIulgen!e7 its isitors are His angels7 and its!ompanions are Hisprophets.&1n another sermon7 mam Ali (A,) has said: ?you should there"ore e*er!ise "ear o"Allahbe!ause it has a rope whose nob is strong and its pinna!le is lo"ty andinulnerable.&2Jn Taqwa7 mam Ali (A,) "urther says: ? adise you7 J !reatures o" Allah7 that youshouldhae "ear o" Allah be!ause it is a right o" Allah oer you and it gies a right be"oreAllah7and that you should see AllahCs help in it7 and its help in (meeting) Allah.3ertainly7 "ortoday7 "ear o" Allah is a prote!tion and a shield7 and "or tomorrow (the Kay o"

Ludgment) itis the way to Paradise. ts way is !lear and he who treads it is the gainer.

Bhoeer holds it guards it. t has presented itsel" to the people who hae alreadypassedand to those !oming "rom behind7 be!ause they will need it tomorrow (on the Kayo"

Ludgment) when Allah will reie His !reation again7 tae ba! what He has gienand taea!!ount o" what He has bestowed. How "ew will be those who a!!ept it andpra!ti!e it as itought to be pra!ti!ed. They will be ery "ew in number7 and they are the peoplewho!orrespond to the des!ription gien by Allah7 the 5loried7 when He says “- And very fe'

of &y reatures are grateful+%&4 There"ore7 hasten with your ears towards it and intensi"y your eIorts "or it. Faeit asubstitute "or all your past (short!omings) to tae their pla!e as a su!!essor7 andmae ityour supporter against eery opponent. Turn your sleep into wae"ulness by itshelp7 andpass your days with it. Fae it the equipment o" your hearts7 wash your sins withit7 treatyour ailments with it7 and hasten towards your death with it. Tae a lesson "romhim who

negle!ts7 so that others who "ollow it should not tae a lesson "rom you. #eware7there"oreQ Oou should tae !are o" it and should tae !are o" yourseles through it.@eep away "rom this world and pro!eed towards the ne*t world in"atuatedly. Konot regardhumble he whom the "ear o" Allah has gien a high position7 and do not a!!ord ahighposition to him whom this world has gien a high position.&6n another sermon7 mam Ali (A,) has said: ? adise you7 J !reatures o" Allah7 tohae "earo" Allah7 "or it is the rein and the mainstay (o" religion). Hold "ast to its salientpoints7 eep

hold o" realities. t will tae you to the abodes o" easiness7 pla!es o" !om"ort7"ortresses o"


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sa"ety and houses o" honor on the Kay (o" Ludgment) when eyes will be wideopen7 whenthere will be darness all round7 when small groups o" !amels pregnant "or tenmonths willbe allowed "ree graMing7 and when the Horn will be blown. Then eery liing beingwill die7eery oi!e will be!ome dumb7 the high mountains and hard ro!s will !rumble(to pie!es)so that their hard stones will turn into moing sand.&9Jn the topi! o" Taqwa7 mam Ali (A,) "urther says: ?3ertainly the "ear o" Allah isthemedi!ine "or your hearts7 sight "or the blindness o" your spirits7 the !ure "orbreasts7 thepurier o" the pollution o" your minds7 the light o" the darness o" your eyes7 the!onsolation "or the "ear o" your hearts7 and the brightness "or the gloom o" yourignoran!e.n another sermon7 mam Ali (A,) has said: ?3ertainly the "ear o" Allah is the ey

toguidan!e7 proision "or the ne*t world7 "reedom "rom eery slaery7 anddelieran!e "romall ruin. Bith its help the seeer su!!eeds and he who maes "or sa"ety es!apesanda!hiees his aims.&mam Ali (A,) has been reported as haing said: ?The "ear o" Allah is the !hie"trait o" human !hara!ter.As a reminder o" Taqwa7 in a sermon mam Ali (A,) says: ?J !reatures o" Allah7 adise youto hae "ear o" Allah Bho has set e*amples to you7 and Bho has timed "or you

your lies.He has gien you !oering o" dress and He has made abundant "or you yourlielihood. Hehas surrounded you with His nowledge. He has ordained rewards. He hasbestowed uponyou ast bounties and e*tensie gi"ts. He has warned you through "ar rea!hingargumentsN There"ore7 "ear o" Allah lie the "ear o" one who has listened (goodadi!e) andsubmitted to it7 and one who has !ommitted sin and then7 !on"essed and "elta"raidN whenhe "elt "ear he a!ted irtuously7 when he apprehended hastened (towards good

a!ts)7 whenhe belieed he per"ormed irtuous a!ts7 when he was ased to tae lesson ("romthehappenings o" this world) he did tae lesson7 when he was ased to desist heabstained("rom eil)7 when he responded to the !all (o" Allah) he leaned (towards Him)7when heturned ba! (to eil) he repented7 when he "ollowed he almost imitated7 andwhen he wasshown (the right path) he saw it.,u!h a man was busy in sear!h o" truth and got rid (o" the worldly eils) byrunning away.

He !olle!ted the proision (o" good a!ts) "or himsel"7 puried his inner sel"7 built"or the ne*t


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world7 and too with himsel" proision "or the day o" his departure7 eeping iniew his

Eourney7 his requirement and the position o" his need. He sent ahead o" him (gooddeeds)"or the abode o" his stay (in the ne*t world). J !reatures o" Allah


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4. bid.7 P. 9.6. +urDan7 09:&.9. #ihar al-Anwar7 ol. 247 P. 69.&. 8ahE al-#alaghah7 P. 24.&&. bid.7 P. 1.&. bid.7 P. 096.&. bid7 P. 12.

&0. 8ahE al-#alaghah7 P. 119.&1. bid.7 P. 2.&2. bid.7 P. 42.&4. +urDan7 0:&.&6. 8ahE al-#alaghah7 P. 44.&9. bid.7 P. 29.. 8ahE al-#alaghah7 P. 21.&. bid.7 P. 4.. bid.7 P. &46.. 8ahE al-#alaghah7 pp. &6-&90. 8ahE al-#alaghah7 p. &&6&

+) The ,ects *f PietyBe !an realiMe the worth and signi!an!e o" eerything "rom its a!hieement andassess itsalue with the quality and quantity o" its "ruits. #eyond doubt7 eerything whi!his o" more"ruits will be naturally o" more alue and eerything with least "ruits will be o"least alue.

There may be things whi!h are o" abundant results quantitatiely butqualitatiely theymay not be important.


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too7 with deotion and loe. en i" one "ails to per"orm su!h duties7 he has toas 5od tohelp and gie him the blessing o" its per"orman!e.

The aboe-said erse is used to show that the HaEE rituals being an e*ample o"the diinede!rees is the result o" piety o" hearts7 "or when a heart is puried7 it has the!apa!ity todire!t a man to a!t a!!ording to the rules o" religion and de!rees o" 5od. Jnly adiseasedheart disobeys and rebels against the path o" guidan!e.

') /od 0oves The Pious This is one o" the other a!hieements o" piety and sel"-restraint. n this relation75od says:“hoever fullls his ro$ise and guards (against evil), then surely Allah lovesthose 'ho guards (against evil).%

The "a!t that 5od loes the pious !an be seen elsewhere in the holy +uranin!luding theerses 0 and 4 o" the !hapter ?;epentan!e (9).Bhat are the results and "ruits o" being loed by 5odG Bhen a person loesanother person7he will do his best to please him and neer does anything to hurt him. 8ow7 when5od loessomeone7 you !an guess what He will do. Be may loe someone but we may nothae allthe possibilities and our hands may be tied. Howeer7 waht 5od7 Bho haseerything underHis !ontrol7 Bho is Jmnipotent7 and Bho has !reated the unierse without labor7

will dowith one whom He loesG magine what 5od will do with one who e*tends hishandstowards Him

) %ilayah (/uardianshi1)About the guardians o" the niolable Fosque (the @aCaba)7 we read: “And 'hat(e/use)have they that Allah should not hastise the$ 'hile they hinder ($en)fro$ the0nviolable &os1ue and they are not (t to be) guardians of it# itsguardians are

only those 'ho guard (against evil), but $ost of the$ do not !no'%.0


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hereafter is better for hi$ 'ho guards (against) evil# and you shall notbe'ronged the hus! of a date stone.%1n another erse7 He has said: “-the abode of the hereafter is better forthose 'hoguard (against evil) #do you not then understand3%2

The same meaning is repeated in the erse &9 o" the +urani! 3hapter o" ?Ousu"(&). nthis !hapter7 we read: “And ertainly the re'ard of the hereafter is $uhbetter for those 'ho believe and guard (against evil).%4lsewhere7 He has said: “And if they had believed and guarded the$selves(against evil), re'ard fro$ Allah 'ould ertainly have been better# had they but!no'n(this).%6n another erse7 5od says: “-if you believe and guard (against evil) "e

'ill giveyou your re'ards, and 'ill not as! of you your ossession.%9Jn piety7 5od says: “hose a$ong the$ 'ho do good (to others) andguard (against evil) shall have a great re'ard.%&Again in another erse7 He has said: “A arable of the garden 'hih thoseguarding(against evil) are ro$ised: therein are rivers of 'ater that does notalter, and rivers of $il! the 'hereof does not hange, and rivers of drin! deliiousto those'ho drin!, and rivers of honey uried# and for the$ therein are all

fruits and forgiveness fro$ their 4ord.%&&A"ter des!ribing the gardens o" Paradise7 5od says: “he gardens of eretuity, they shall enter the$, rivers 5o'ing beneath the$# they shall have in the$'hat they lease. hus does Allah re'ard those 'ho guard (against evil).%&lsewhere7 He has said: “ut (as for) those 'ho are areful of (their dutyto) their 4ord, they shall have lofty halls, above the$ lofty halls, built (for the$),beneath

'hih rivers 5o'# (this is) the ro$ise of Allah: and Allah 'ill not fail in("is) ro$ise%.&n des!ribing the Paradise "or those who repent and the worthy belieers7 5odsays:“-these shall enter the garden, and they shall not be dealt 'ithunjustly in any 'ay: the gardens of eretuity 'hih the eneent od has ro$isedto "isservants in the unseen# surely "is ro$ise shall o$e to ass. heyshall not hear therein any vain disourse, but only eae, and they shall have

their sustenane therein $orning and evening.%&0


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Then He says: “his is the garden 'hih e ause those of *ur servantsto inherit 'ho guard (against evil).%&1A"ter des!ribing the proision o" the li"e o" this world7 in another erse7 5od says:“Shall 0tell you of 'hat is better than these3 8or those 'ho guard (against evil)aregardens 'ith their 4ord, beneath 'hih rivers 5o', to abide in the$,and ure$ates and Allah9s leasure# and Allah is seer of "is servants.%&2All these rewards are important and noteworthy but what the pious must taeinto!onsideration is AllahCs pleasure whi!h !annot be alued. All prophets7 mamsand thesaints o" Allah hae tried to rea!h it7 "or prophethood7 diine mission7 Bilayahand mamateare summed up in it. Human beings were !reated to obey 5od and to win His

pleasure.Bhen AllahCs pleasure is won7 eerything is won too.t would not be out o" pla!e to tal here about the paradise o" the pious. The late@oleini hasreported that mam #aqir (A,) has said: ?The Holy Prophet (,B)was ased aboutthemeaning o" the +urani! erse: “he day on 'hih e 'ill gather those 'hoguard (against evil) to the eneent od to reeive honors.%&4 The HolyProphet (,AB)said: J Ali7 this group o" people is but riders and they are a "ew men who re"rain"rom

!ommitting sins. There"ore7 5od loed them and gae them a spe!ial position7praised theirdeeds and !alled them the pious.C

Then7 the Holy Prophet (,AB) said: J Ali #y Allah Bho has split the grain7brought out theplant and !reated the !reatures7 they will !ome out o" graes while angels willre!eie themwith she-!amels o" honor7 adorned with gold7 pearl7 rubies and green sil as wellas purple!loth7 and those she-!amels shall Uy with them towards the gathering pla!e inthe heaen.

ery man shall be a!!ompanied by a thousand angels "rom eery side to thegate o" paradise.8ear the gate o" paradise7 there is a tree whi!h is puried. a!h will drin a syrupo" it.

Then7 5od Almighty will !lean their hearts "rom Eealousy and will mae e*tra hairon theirbodies "all down. This is the meaning o" “and their 4ord shall $a!e the$drin! a uredrin!.%&6

Then7 "rom the le"t side o" that tree7 they will moe to another spring !alled the,pring o"

$i"e when they per"orm 5huslC&9 as a result o" whi!h they will neer die. Then7they will


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stop be"ore the Throne where they are made sa"e "rom pests7 diseases7 pains7!old and hot.

Then7 the Jmnipotent 5od will address the angels as the "ollowing: Tae them toParadise.Ko not mae them wait with other people7 "or Fy pleasure has be!omein!umbent on them.How !an halt them with the !ompanions o" good deeds and bad deedGC

Therea"ter7 the angels a!!ompany them to Paradise. Bhen they rea!h the gate o" Paradise7angels no! at the door7 maing a great sound. The assembly o" Houris7 whomthe#eneolent 5od has prepared in pala!es7 hear the sound7 reEoi!e and gie oneanother thegood tidings7 saying: The "riends o" 5od are !oming towards usC Then7 the gateo" Paradiseis opened to them and they will enter it. A group o" Houris and humans willre!eie and

wel!ome them7 saying: How eager we were to meet youC 5odCs "riends will saythe samething.

Then7 mam Ali (A,) ased the Fessenger o" Allah (,AB) about the meaning o"5odCswords: “hey shall have high halls, above the$ high halls%7 saying: Bhyhae thesepla!es been builtGC The Holy Prophet (,AB) said: J Ali 5od has made thesepla!es withpearls7 rubies and topaM7 with their !eilings o" gold and siler "or His "riends. a!hpla!e hasa thousand gates o" gold with an angel guarding at ea!h gate. Therein are

upraised!ou!hes and some raised upon the others7 o" ne sil in diIerent !olors7 lledwith mus7ambergris and !amphor. This is the meaning o" words o" 5od Almighty: “Ande/alted throne%.Bhen a belieer enters his abode in Paradise7 they will put a royal !rown o" honoron hishead with rubies and pearls7 dress him with garments o" gold and siler o"seenty !olorsinterwoen with gold7 siler7 pearls and rubies as 5od Almighty has said: “they

shall be$ade to 'ear therein braelets of gold and earls, and their dresstherein shall be sil!.%&Bhen the belieer taes his seat on the throne7 his throne will start moing out o"

Eoy andwhen that "riend o" Allah settles in his abode7 a guardian angel will as himpermission togreet him with the diine regards. Then7 the belieerCs serants o" girls and boyswill say tohim: ?#e in your pla!e. The "riend o" Allah is in his seat and his pure beauti"ulmate is

prepared to re!eie him. Bait until the "riend o" 5od be!omes "ree.His mate will !ame Uauntingly out o" her tent towards him. The serant girls will


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surroundher. He wears a garment or rubies7 pearls and topaM per"umed with mus andambergrisand sandals o" gold de!orated with rubies and pearls with rubies as sandal la!es.Bhen the houri approa!hes the "riend o" 5od7 she will arise and will say out o"eagerness:?J 5odCs "riend Today is not the day o" hardship. Arise belong to you and youbelong tome

They will then hug ea!h other "or a long time without getting tired “-and theangels 'ill enter unto the$ fro$ every gate.% And will say: “eae be uon youbeauseyou 'ere onstant. "o' e/ellent, is then, the issue of the abode.%

The e*!ellent abode is a re"eren!e to 5odCs words: “And 'hen you see there,you shall see blessings and a great !ingdo$.%0

The Holly prophet (,AB) said: ?This is a re"eren!e to what angels and 5odCsmessengersas permission "rom Him and they do not enter it without permission with regardto thegreat ingdom and bounties. ;iers Uow beneath the pala!es with "ruits at !losehand. 5odAlmighty has said: “0ts shades 'ill be lose over the$ and its fruits 'ill behanginglo'.%1

This is in a way that i" the belieer rises up7 the trees will rise up too at the heighto" hisstature and i" he sits down7 the bran!hes will bow down to be easy to rea!h. " he

wishes7the bran!hes will !ome down lower.mam #aqir (A,) has said: ?5ardens mentioned in the Holy +uran are garden o"den7garden o" Paradise7 garden o" #liss7 and garden o" ;e"uge. There are othergardens in theHoly +uran7 whi!h are intermingled with these gardens7 that the belieer willenEoy them inwhateer manner he wishes. Bheneer the belieer wishes "or anything7 he willsay: 5loryto Thee7 my $ordC and upon saying it7 he will hae it. This is a re"eren!e to 5odCs

words:“heir ry in it (aradise) shall be: lory to hee, * Allah+ And theirgreeting in it shall be: eae# and the last of their ry shall be: raise be to Allah, the4ord of the 'orlds.%2

3) 2aving #o !ear or orrow (The Pious 2ave #o/rief)As 5od has said “* hildren of Ada$+ 0f there o$e to you aostles fro$a$ongyou relating to you &y o$$uniations, then 'hoever shall guard

(against evil)and at aright; hey shall have no fear nor shall they grieve.%4


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Jbiously7 only a person who has no strong shelter "or himsel" has "ear and issorrow"ul.#ut how will a person7 who has !hosen piety and is whole-heartedly deoted to5od and hasno guardian7 prote!tor7 gier o" honor7 saior and ing other than 5od7 besorrow"ulG n thisrespe!t7 whether the "ear is related to this world or the herea"ter7 only piety !anremoe it.

4) ,ase of Aairs (The Pious At ,ase)n the Holy +uran7 5od says: “hen as for hi$ 'ho gives (in harity) andfears Allah,and aets the best, e 'ill failitate for hi$ the easy end.%6

This is eidently !lear7 "or one who e*er!ises piety7 establishes a ind o" relationwith the$ord o" the unierse Bho is the 3auser o" !auses. Hen!e7 He will resole allproblems7 "orHe is the ;emoer o" all sorrows and Kestroyer o" grie"s.

5) .eaching A 2igher .an6 (Piety7 A u1eriortage)n relation to disbelieers7 5od says: “he life of this 'orld is $ade to see$fair tothose 'ho disbelieve, and they $o! those 'ho believe, and those 'hoguard (against evil) shall be above the$ on the


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remoes eil a!tsand sins.

9) Piety7 A 2eavenly BlessingAbout piety and heaenly blessings7 5od has said: “And if the eole of theto'ns had

believed and guarded (against evil), e 'ould ertainly have oened ufor the$blessings fro$ the heaven and the earth, but they rejeted, so eovertoo! the$for 'hat they had earned.%

$) Piety7 A olution;esoling o" problems7 ease o" aIairs7 getting rid o" aSi!tions !aused by onesel"or others7whether in this world or at the time o" death7 whether on the Kay o" Eudgment7the Kay o" ;e!oning7 or passing oer (the bridge o") ,irat7 are some o" the results o" piety.

n this!onne!tion7 the $ord o" the unierse says: “-and 'hoever is areful of (hisduty to) Allah, "e 'ill $a!e for hi$ an outlet, and give hi$ sustenane fro$'hene hethin!s not.%As "or those who will enter Hell7 5od says: “And there is not one of you butshall o$eto it# this is an unavoidable deree of your 4ord. And e 'ill deliverthose 'hoguarded (against evil) , and e 'ill leave the unjust therein on their!nees.%0

n another erse7 5od says: “And Allah shall deliver those 'ho guard(against evil)'ith their ahieve$ent# evil shall not touh the$, not shall theygrieve.%1Again in another erse7 5od has said: “-if you are atient and guardyourselves,their she$e 'ill not injure you in any a'ay.%2t is obiously so7 that all problems and entanglements related to this world andtheherea"ter arise "rom a ind o" impiety and deiations whereas one7 who guardsagainst eil

and e*er!ises piety7 is not only uninoled in entanglements but lies in ease andwithpea!e o" mind.

$$) Piety *vercoes atanAs the $ord o" the unierse has said: “Surely, those 'ho guard (againstevil), 'hen avisitation fro$ Satan a>its the$, they beo$e $indful, then lo+ heysee.%4

There"ore7 ,atanCs isitation7 s!heme and temptations will not aIe!t the pious7"or the latterhae "ound their right way and are sa"e "rom moral7 so!ial7 politi!al7 ideologi!al

and "amilydeiations.


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$8) Piety And #earness To /odAbout the honor people hae with 5od7 He says: “* you $en+ Surely e havereated you of a $ale and fe$ale , and $ade you tribes and fa$ilies that you$ay !no'

eah other# surely the $ost honorable of you 'ith Allah is the onea$ong you$ost areful (of his duty)#surely Allah is !no'ing, A'are.%04,omeone ased Prophet Lesus (A,): ?Bhi!h people are the better onesGProphet Lesus (A,) too two hand"uls o" earth7 saying: ?8either o" these haspre"eren!e oerthe other. ;ather they are equal. People too are as su!h. The most honorable o"them arethose who are most !are"ul (o" their duty).06Jn the relation o" the +urani! ,ura o" al-HuEurat7 the erse &7 !ommentatorshae written:?Jne day7 the Holy prophet o" slam (,AB) was waling in the maret o" Fedina.He saw asale on sale. The sale ept on saying: Bhoeer buys me should let me per"ormmy dailyprayers.C A man bought him with the same !ondition. Therea"ter7 wheneer theHolyProphet (,AB) per"ormed daily prayers7 the slae would tae part in them too. A"ew dayspassed7 but there was no news o" the sale.

The Holy prophet (,AB) ased a"ter him. They said: He suIers "rom "eer. TheHoly prophet(,AB) went to isit him. A"ter three days7 the Holy Prophet inquired a"ter his

health. Hismaster said: He is dead. The Holy Prophet (,AB) personally too !harge o"per"orming hisburial seri!e. #oth the FuhaEireen and the Ansar were surprised. 5od Almightyreealedthe aboe mentioned erse indi!ating that lineage is no honor7 rather it is pietywhi!hbrings about honor.09mam ,aEEad (A,) has been reported by Abu HamMah ath-Thumali as saying:?There is nopriilege "or +uraish oer the Arabs sae due to modesty7 and no honor sae dueto pietyQ

no nowledge sae due to good intention and no prayer sae due tomind"ulness.1

$9) Piety And the ;ay *f =udgent5od says: “he friends shall on that day be ene$ies one to another,e/et those'ho guard (against evil).%1&n this world7 "riendships are based on worldly gains with no real aim or they arenot "or thesae o" 5od. Jbiously all "riendships will !ome to an end sae those whi!h are"or the saeo" 5od7 a "eature o" the pious. n this relation7 mam ,adiq (A,) has been reported

assaying: ?#rothers are o" three indsQ one who is "air to his sel"7 and the se!ond is


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su!h withhis wealth. They are truth"ul in "riendship. And the third ind is one who taes"rom youwhat he needs and lies you "or "un. Ko not trust him 1

') Piety And The /ood ,nd The $ord o" the unierse inspired Prophet Foses (A,) to say to his tribe: “As!hel fro$ Allah and be atient# surely, the land is Allah9s# "e auses suh of "isservants toinherit it as "e leases, and the end is for those 'ho guard (againstevil).%1lsewhere7 the $ord o" the unierse !onsoles Prophet Hud (a.s.) by saying:“herefore be atient# surely, the end is for those 'ho guard (against evil).%10n another erse7 5od says to the Holy prophet (,AB): “And enjoin rayer onyour eole, and steadily adhere to it# e do not as! you for subsistene. edo giveyou subsistene, and the (good) end is for guarding (against evil).%11mam ,adiq (A,) has been reported as saying: ?Among the !hildren o" srael7there was aman who would repeatedly say ?praise is due to the $ord o" the worlds and goodis "orthose who guard against eil. blis be!ame angry. ,o he assigned a Keil to go tohimsaying: The good end is "or the wealthyC7 but the man did not a!!ept it. ,o theyde!ided to!hoose an arbiter to Eudge between them. Anyone against whom the Eudgment

was passedwould hae one o" his hands !ut oI. They set out till they rea!hed a man whomtheyin"ormed o" their intention. That person said: The good end is "or the wealthy.CJne o" thehands o" the pious man was !ut oI. Oet7 he would say: The good end is "or thosewhoguard against eil.C ,atan said: Ko you still say the same thingGC The pious mansaid: ?beliee in what say een i" lose the other hand? They set out again andrea!hed anotherperson. They in"ormed him o" the story. That person too said: ?The good end is

"or thewealthy.

The other hand o" the pious man was !ut oI while he was saying: ?The good endis "orthose who guard against eil ,atan said to him: ?Bill you bet on your headG

The piousman said: ?Oes.

They set out again and on their way7 they saw a manlie shadow. They stoppedbe"ore himand told him the story. That shadow tou!hed the pious manCs hands whi!h wererestored to

their normal positions and beheaded ,atan saying: ?N the good end is "or thosewho guardagainst eil.12


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Jbiously7 what lasts "oreer is truth and right"ulness and what perishes isinEusti!e and"alsehood.

There are usually many things whi!h hae no truth or spirit. The worldly li"e7wealth7position7 power7 "or!e7 hypo!riti!al a!ts7 inde!ent words7 eil a!ts and their liesare su!h.

The only thing whi!h lasts "oreer and maes people prosperous is the right pathwhi!h is"ree "rom deiation. Piety in!ludes all the irtues.

'$) Piety And ;ivine /uardianshi1About diine guardianship7 5od says: “Surely the unjust are friends of eahother,and Allah is the guardian of those 'ho guard (against evil).%14

'') Piety And ;ivine /uidance5od says: “hese (the ious) are on a right ourse fro$ their 4ord and

these it isthat shall be suessful.%16

') Piety &s #ever >nderinedmam Ali (A,) has said7 ?He who is strong rooted in piety does not !ome todestru!tion7 andthe plantation o" a people based on piety neer remains without water.19mam Ali (A,) means that the li"e o" one that is based on piety7 will not be ruinedwithnegatie propaganda in the same way that plantation based on piety will neerget burntdown.

'+) Piety &s #ever &gnoredmam Ali (A,) has also said: ?A!tion a!!ompanied with "ear o" Allah does not "ail7and how!an a thing "ail that has been a!!eptedG 2

'3) Piety7 A %ealthmam ,adiq (A,) has been reported by OaCqoob ibn ,huCaib as saying: ?5od doesnotpromote a serant "rom the humiliation o" sins to the honor o" piety7 e*!ept thatHe maeshim ri!h without wealth7 honorable without tribe7 and a "riend o" Him without"riends o"

people.2&

'4) Piety7 Cure !or Allmam Ali (A,) says: ?3ertainly7 "ear o" Allah is the medi!ine "or your hearts7 sight"or theblindness o" your spirits7 the !ure "or the ailments o" your bodies7 the re!tier o"the eils o" your breasts7 the purier o" the pollution o" your minds7 the light o" the darnesso" youreyes7 the !onsolation "or the "ear o" your heart and the brightness "or the gloomo" yourignoran!e.2

'5) Piety7 A ;ivine /race The Holy +uran says: “-and be areful of (your duty) to Allah, Allah


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teahesyou.%2

The Holy prophet (,AB) has been reported as saying: ?


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11. +urDan7 :&.12. #ihar al-Anwar7 ol. 247 P. 9.14. +urDan7 01:&9.16. +urDan7 :1.19. 8ahE al-#alaghah7 P. 229.2. bid.7 P. &&9.2&. BasaCil al-,hiah7 ol. &&7 P. &9.

2. 8ahE al-#alaghah7 P. 21.2. +urDan7 :6.20. Ten Kis!ourses7 P. 2.

3)


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narrations that"aith is superior to slam. mam #aqir (A,) has been reported by Hamran assaying: ? heardthe mam says: Truly 5od has made "aith superior to slam in the same way thatHe hasmade the @aCaba superior to the niolable Fosque.&

The mam (A,) then mentions diIerent rans o" slam and "aith. Jn Taqwa7 themam says:Piety is superior to "aith and !ertainty is superior to piety in terms o" ran.

There"ore7 Taqwahere is an ideologi!al piety7 "or the mam has !onsidered slam as the lowest and!ertaintyas the highest degree while piety is in between.&. Al-@a7 ol. 7 P. 1.

5) Piety And MonotheisPiety in relation to monotheism means that man has to now that the All-seeing7

the Allhearing7the All-wise7 the Faer7 the 3reator7 the Healer and the Proider is the Jne andJnly 5od and that other beings are His !reatures. t is really not ery diR!ult toproe thee*isten!e o" 5od. 8eertheless7 we would lie to mention !ertain reasons toproe it.&- Bheneer man sees an obEe!t in this world7 he will automati!ally thin aboutits produ!erand inentor. en i" a girl7 who has a doll in her hands7 is told that this doll hasbeen madeby itsel"7 she will laugh at that. How !an this unierse with the earth7 the sy7plants7

animals7 human beings7 waters7 mountains7 winds7 rains7 spa!e7 planets7 light anddarness7"ruits7 grains and millions o" other things e*ist without a Faer who is All-nowingand AllwiseG- How !an !osmos7 the order o" days and nights7 the "our seasons7 the "un!tiono" eyes7ears7 heart7 digestie tra!t7 and solar system not lead us to the e*isten!e o" 5odG- n dangers7 our hearts are dire!ted towards a ,aior and Helper een i" we arenotFuslims.0- The news brought by prophets7 mams and the messages o" s!holars ands!ientists aboutan ternal #eing and the $ord o" the unierse is one o" the strongest reasons toproe 5odCse*isten!e.Bhen 5odCs oneness is proed "or man7 and when man realiMed that there is noone in thisunierse sae 5od7 who is All-hearing7 All-seeing7 the @ing7 the Proider o" humanbeingsand animals7 Jne who brings "orth the liing "rom the dead and brings "orth thedead "romthe liing and the Fanager o" the world7 he should e*er!ise this piety that he isnot in!lined

to anything but 5od.n this relation7 5od says: “Say: 'ho gives you sustenane fro$ the


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heavens and theearth3 *r 'ho ontrols the hearing and the sight3 And 'ho brings forththe livingfro$ the dead and brings the dead fro$ the living3 And 'ho regulatesthea@airs3 hen they 'ill say: Allah. Say then: ill you not then guard(against evil)3%&

That is to say7 one should not tae heed o" "alse gods or idols7 rather he shouldsa"eguardhimsel" "rom i!ious !ir!le and deiations whi!h is the same as in!lination "oridols ad theirlies.;egarding this7 5od has said: “a!e not t'o gods, "e is only *ne od# so of &ealone should you be afraid. And 'hatever is in the heavens and theearth is "is,

and to "i$ should obediene be (rendered) onstantly# 'ill you thenguard against other than (the unish$ent of) Allah3%

That is to say the Jne who deseres Taqwa is the Jne 5od and it is He whopunishes7 taesus to tas and rewards us.As "or those who do not beliee7 5od says: “Surely the vilest of ani$als in Allah9ssight are those 'ho disbelieve, 'ho 'ill not believe# those 'ith 'ho$you $a!ean agree$ent, then they brea! their agree$ent every ti$e and they donot

guard (against unish$ent).%&. +urDan7 &:&.. +urDan7 &2:1&-1.. +urDan7 6:11-12.

8) Piety And Pro1hethood Taqwa in relation to prophethood means that man should now that humanbeings e*istsin!e birth to unnown time. He should also realiMe that man !annot understandhis lossand gain. Hen!e7 he is in need o" a more per"e!t guide to lead him to per"e!tionand a

stronger dei!e to rule oer the world. Fan has no power to se!ure his owninterests.

There"ore7 there should be those who go between the 3reator and the !reaturesQto re!eiethe message "rom the !reator and to !oney it to the !reatures.

These people are nown as prophets or diine enoys. mams and theirsu!!essors "ollowthe path o" the prophets. The ne!essity o" a system or order among the!reatures7 as wellas a guide in the same way that the heart is the guide o" the realm o" body7 the"a!t thatnot all human beings are !apable o" re!eiing reelation7 that earth !annot bedeoid o" aproo" o" 5od7 that human mind !annot !omprehend eerything7 are some o" the


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reasonswhi!h proe the truth"ulness o" prophets. n our time7 the greatest mira!le is theHoly+uran. Although this Kiine #oo has been !hallenged7 no one has been able tobring aerse lie it.n the Holy +uran7 we see that when diine messengers inite people to 5od andmonotheism7 and inite them to their own truth"ulness and adheren!e and warnthem o" anything other than 5od7 Taqwa has been mentioned too. The +uran says: be!are"ul o" your duty against any deiation.

This theme has been repeated in the Holy +uran: “(he tribe of) Aad deniedthe$essengers (of Allah). hen their brother "ud said to the$: 'ill younot guard (against evil)3 Surely 0 a$ a faithful aostle to you# therefore guard

against (the unish$ent of) Allah and obey $e.%&lsewhere 5od says: “(he tribe of) ha$ud denied the $essengers (of Allah. hentheir brother Salih said to the$: ill you not guard (against evil)3Surely 0 a$ afaithful aostle to you# therefore guard against (the unish$ent of) Allah and obey $e.%n this relation7 5od says: “he eole of 4ot denied the $essengers (of Allah).hen their brother 4ot said to the$: ill you not guard (against evil)3

Surely 0a$ a faithful aostle to you# therefore, guard against (the unish$entof) Allahand obey $e.%5od has also said: “he eole of oah denied the $essengers (of Allah).hentheir brother oah said to the$: ill you not guard (against evil)3Surely 0 a$ afaithful aostle to you# therefore, guard against (the unish$ent of) Allah and obey $e. And 0 do not as! you any re'ard for it# $y re'ard is only 'ith

the 4ord of the 'orlds: So guard against (the unish$ent of) Allah and obey $e.hey said: Shall 'e believe in you 'hile the $eanest follo' you3%0&. +urDan7 2:&-&2.. +urDan7 2:&0&-&00.. +urDan7 2:&2-&20.0. +urDan7 2: &1-&&&.

9) Piety And the ;ay *f =udgentBhen it was proed "or us that 5od is All-wise and His administration is wise7 how!an Henot hae another world "or whi!h He has !reated manG Bhen 5od has !reatedman rstlywith su!h !ompli!ated body and soul7 some o" people lie "or a se!ond7 an hour7


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a month7 ayear and as long as a hundred or a thousand years and then they will die7 what isthephilosophy behind it7 espe!ially when human beings rea!h per"e!tion with somu!hsuIeringG s this not something absurd and ainG,e!ondly7 the obedient and the guilty7 the oppressors and the oppressed7 the si!and thehealthy7 the priileged and the underpriileged hae a liing o" their own andenEoy diineblessings in this world where reward or punishment do not e*a!tly e*ist7 then7where will be5odCs Eusti!e i" there is no other worldG How !an we proe that 5od is All-wiseG

Thirdly: the diine laws will be useless7 "or law is aimed to distinguish betweenhumans andanimals. Bhen there is no other world7 the law will be useless7 "or it will not beena!ted.


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faithful aostle to you% immediately7 they says: “herefore guard against (the unish$ent of) Allah and obey $e.%,ometimes7 the $ord o" the unierse adises His messenger to pra!ti!e Taqwa:“* rohet+ e areful of (your duty to) Allah and do not o$ly 'ith (the'ishes of)the unbelievers and the hyorites, surely Allah is no'ing, ise. Andfollo''hat is revealed to you fro$ your 4ord: surely Allah is A'are of 'hatyou do.%&n !ertain erses7 the "ollowing has been added: “And do not obey the biddingof thee/travagant.%n !ertain +urani! !hapters7 5od says: “* you 'ho believe+ Ans'er (the allof) Allah

and "is aostle 'hen he alls you to that 'hih gives you life# and !no'that Allah intervenes bet'een $an and his heart, and that to "i$ you shallbegathered. And fear an a>ition 'hih $ay not s$ite those of you in artiular 'ho are unjust# and !no' that Allah is severe in re1uiting (evil).%

The Holy Prophet (,AB) has been quoted by Abu Ayyoob al-Ansari as saying: ?JAmmar,oon a"ter me7 there will be big mis!hie" so mu!h so that swords will be drawn7some willill ea!h other and some will hate ea!h other. n that !ase7 it is in!umbent upon

you toresort to this bald-headed man7 sitting on the right side o" me (meaning Ali ibnAbi Talib). " all people "ollow one line and Ali "ollows another line7 you should "ollow his lineand leaeothers. J Ammar ,urely Ali will not misguide you and will not dire!t you todestru!tion. JAmmar To obey Ali is to obey me and to obey me is to obey Allah. 0mam ,adiq (A,) has been reported by al-Fu"addhal ibn mar as saying: ?5odAlmighty has!hosen Ali as an emblem and standard between Him and His !reatures. 8o one

has su!h aposition. There"ore7 whoeer obeys him is a belieer and whoeer denies him isanunbelieer. Bhoeer denies him will enter re. 1

The mam (A,) has also been reported as saying that when 5abriel appeared totheFessenger o" Allah (,AB)7 he said: ?J Fohammad Allah sends you greetings andsays: hae !reated the seen heaens and what is there in themNand hae not!reated anypla!e higher than the ;on (the !orner o" the @aaba) and the Faqam (the pla!ewhere

Prophet Abraham (a.s.) used to oIer prayer). " any one o" my serants !all Feand meets


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Fe (dies) while he denies the mamate o" Ali7 will throw him into the re on his"a!e.2mam Ali (A,) has been reported as saying: ?There is no heresy unless a ,unnah(propheti!norm) is abandoned (by it). There"ore7 eep away "rom heresy. Bal on a soundway7 "orlong-!herished orders (orders o" 5od and the Fessenger) are the best. Bhatheresy hasprodu!ed will be the worst. 4A"ter warning the people o" #asra about what was to o!!ur7 mam Ali (A,) says:?Bhoeer!an7 at this time7 eep himsel" !linging to Allah should do so. " you "ollow me7 shall!ertainly !arry you7 i" Allah so wills7 on the path o" paradise7 een though it maybe "ull o" seere hardship and o" bitter tasteN.Oou should adhere to the #oo o" Allahbe!ause it is

the ,trong ;ope7 a !lear light7 a beneting !ure7 a quen!hing "or thirst7 prote!tion"or theadherent7 and delieran!e "or the atta!hed. t has no any !uring to bestraightened7 anddoes not deiate "rom the truth. Bhateer it is repeated and whateer it no!sthehearings7 it does not be!ome old. Bhoeer speas a!!ording to it7 speas o" thetruth andwhoeer a!ts a!!ording to it shall adan!e (to su!!ess).A man stood up and said: J Ameerol FoDminin Tells us about the disturban!eand whetheryou enquired it "rom the Holy Prophet (,AB)C. Thereupon Ameerol FoDminin said:

?BhenAllah7 the 5loried sent down the erse: B


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wine as Eusta Eui!e o" grapes and dates7 bribe as gi"t7 and usury as selling and buying7 andthus!onsider them law"ul.C said: J Fessenger o" Allah7 how should deal with them at the timeG ,hall !onsider themas apostates and disbelieers or ones inoled in seditionGC He said: ,edition andtrial.C 9Bhat mis!hie" is worse than this A"ter the Fessenger o" Allah (,AB) the mmahwasdiided into seenty-three se!ts as the Holy Prophet (,AB) had said: ?The Lewswill be!omeseenty-one se!ts7 the 3hristians seenty-two and my mmah will be diided intoseentythreese!ts (a"ter me). &bn al-FaghaMeli has reported: ?The Holy Prophet(,AB) said to Ali ibn Abi Talib:The

mmah a"ter me will soon hat!h plots against you.C &&mam Ali (A,) has been reported by many narrators as haing said: TheFessenger o" Allah(,AB) said to me: ,urely 5od has made Lihad against mis!hie"-maersin!umbent uponyou as He made Lihad against the atheists in!umbent upon me.C ased: JFessenger o" Allah Bhat is this mis!hie" that has made Lihad in!umbentGC The Holy Prophet(,AB) said:There are some who bear witness to the Jneness o" 5od and my mission butthey!hallenge the ,unnah.C ased the Holy Prophet: Bhat should ght them "or

while theybear witness to what testi"yGC

The Holy Prophet (,AB) said:


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a"ter me. The rst o" them is Ali ibn Abi Talib7 then al-Hasan and al-Hossain7 then Ali ibn al-Hossain7then Fohammad ibn Ali nown as #aqir in the Torah. J Labir7 you will lie longenough tosee him. Bheneer you meet him7 gie my regards to him. The ne*t will be as-,adiq7 LaC"aribn Fohammad7 then Fusa ibn LaC"ar7 then Ali ibn Fusa7 then Fohammad bn Ali7then Aliibn Fohammad7 then Hassan ibn Ali and then a person o" my name7 the poo" o"Allah on theearth7 #aqiyyatullah7 the son o" al-Hassan ibn Ali7 one at whose hands Allah will!onquersthe east and the west o" the earth. He will be in o!!ultation away "rom his"ollowers and!ompanions that no one shall eep on belieing in his imamate e*!ept thosewhom Allah

has tried their hearts with "aith.&0&. +urDan7 :&-.. +urDan7 2:&1&.. +urDan7 6:0-1.0. @hulasat al-FinhaE7 ol. 7 P. &64.1. #ihar al-Anwar7 ol. 297 P. &.2. bid.4. 8ahE al-#alaghah7 ol. &7 P. 06. +urDan7 9:.9. 8ahE al-#alaghah7 ol. &7 P. 09.&. #ihar al-Anwar7 ol. 67 P. 9.&&. bid.7 P. 41.&. bid.7 P. 49.&. +urDan7 0:19.

&0. #ihar al-Anwar7 ol. 7 p. 69

$$) Piety And


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!alled s!holars too.Howeer7 we must e*er!ise piety in this area too by maing sound nowledgedistin!t "romthe wrong nowledge7 by maing Eusti!e distin!t "rom inEusti!e. Bhat is o"signi!an!e toslam is !lear "or all. mam Fusa ibn LaC"ar (A,) has been reported as saying: ?Jneday7 theFessenger o" Allah (,AB) entered the mosque. He saw a group o" peoplegathering arounda man. He ased who the man was7 and it was said that he was a s!holar. TheFessenger o" Allah (,AB) said: Bhat is he e*pert inGC

They said: He is the most nowledgeable in the lineages o" the Arabs7 the eentso" thepre-slami! era7 poetry as well as Arabism.C The Holy Prophet (,AB) said: Hisnowledgedoes not harm one who does not now it nor does not benet the one who nows

it.C TheFessenger o" Allah (,AB) said: @nowledge or s!ien!e is o" three typesQ a !learsign that isthe prin!iples o" "aith7 a Eust obligation that is ethi!s whi!h is the middle !oursebetweenthe two e*tremes7 and a well nown norm (,unnah) that is religious orders aswell as issuesrelated to law"ul and unlaw"ul things. &t is said that the prin!iples o" "aith are related to human mind7 ethi!s to his souland heart7and law"ul and unlaw"ul things to his body.mam ,adiq (A,) has been reported as saying: ? hae "ound all nowledge in "our

thingsQ toget to now your $ord7 to now what He has gien to you7 to now what He wants"rom you7and to now what taes you out o" your religion. 3ommenting on this narration7 Allamah FaElisi says: ?


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orders7 it is!onsidered as part o" them. mam Ali (A,) has been reported as haing said:?nowledge is"or religion7 medi!ine "or body7 synta* "or language and astrology "or nowing thetime. 0

The Holy Prophet (,AB) has been reported as haing said: ?,!ien!e is o" two!ategories:s!ien!e in the heart whi!h is bene!ial and s!ien!e on the tongue whi!h is aproo" "or 5odCsserants. 1 8eertheless7 i" they (two inds o" s!ien!e) are used solely "orworldly gain or i" they are detrimental to human beings7 they are blameworthy. Hen!e7 the story o"the manaround whom people had gathered and he was blamed by the Holy Prophet mightbe o" apoliti!al nature. ,o the Holy Prophet (,AB) did not really mean to !ondemnnowledge o"

lineage. 5od nows it better.Jne o" the bran!hes o" nowledge7 about whi!h human beings should be !are"ul7istheology7 that is the re!ti!ation and per"e!tion o" "aith7 "or thoughts run intodiIerentdire!tions and there are diIerent iewpoints and boos in that area. Hen!e7 manyindiiduals hae gone astray in this path and are entangled with amaMement andbewilderment.


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prophet (,AB) asing: ?J Fessenger o" Allah Bhi!h one do you lie betterQ toattend a"uneral or to meet a s!holarG

The Fessenger o" Allah (,AB) said: ?" there is anyone to attend the "uneral7 togo to thepresen!e o" a s!holar is better than attending a "uneral7 isiting a thousandpatients7 risingup at night "or prayer7 "asting "or a thousand days7 giing a !harity o" a thousandKirhamsto the poor7 per"orming the minor haEE a thousand times7 and a thousand non-obligatorywars against the enemy in the way o" Allah with your li"e and property. Ko younot younow that 5od has been obeyed with nowledge and worshipped with nowledgeand allthe good o" the world and the herea"ter is with nowledge and all the eil o" theworld and

the herea"ter is with ignoran!eG 9mam Ali (A,) has been reported as saying: ?,itting in the presen!e o" s!holars"or an houris better to 5od than a thousand years o" worshipping. $ooing at a s!holar isbetter thanse!lusion o" one year in the House o" 5od. Visiting s!holars is better than seenty!ir!umambulations around the @aCba and is better than seenty minor HaEE. 5odwill !ountseenty rewards "or that one7 will send blessings "or him7 and angels will testi"ythat he willdesere Paradise.&mam ,adiq (A,) has been reported as saying: ?A prayer by a s!holar is better

than seentythousand prayers by an as!eti!. &&t is with the right nowledge that human beings will neer go astray or deiate"rom theright path.A s!holar always wors thought"ully and mind"ullyQ his prayer is mind"ul and hissteps aretaen thought"ully. He writes thought"ully. His rising up and sitting down isthought"ulQ hespeas thought"ullyQ his silen!e is thought"ulQ his eating7 sleeping7 praying7 hisstate in

asso!iating with others7 in si!ness and health7 are mind"ul. A layman7 howeer7is not su!h.He may sometimes do his Eob out o" ignoran!e. He may oIer his prayerin!orre!tly and hemay a!t in a way a simpleton might a!t.t is "or this reason that 5od uses the word TaqwaC in relation to eery subEe!t.&. Al-@a7


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&&. bid.7 p. &9.

$') Piety &n PracticeJne o" the other !ases in whi!h the word TaqwaC has been used is in relation tohumandeed. Human beings are rewarded on the Kay o" Ludgment "or their deeds. Jn

that day7man will reap what he has sown. Perhaps all the +urani! erses and narrations onTaqwaCare aimed at human deed whi!h in!ludes intention too.n this relation7 the $ord o" the unierse says: “* you 'ho believe+ e arefulof (your duty to) Allah, and let every soul onsider 'hat it has sent on for the$orro',and be areful of (your duty to) Allah# surely Allah is A'are of 'hat youdo.%&n this erse7 the word ?Taqwa has been used twi!e and “'hat it has sent on

for the$orro' (deed)% is in between. Perhaps7 it re"ers to the "a!t that one7 whowishes to dosomething7 has to hae good intention that is "or the sae o" 5od. He should eepaway"rom "alse in!enties. He should be thorough when doing something.


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n the aboe-mentioned erses7 5od re"ers to the Khirar Fosque that had beenbuilt todiide the belieers who gathered in the +oba Fosque. Bhen the Holy prophet(,AB)migrated to Fedina where people were attra!ted by his good !hara!ter andmanners7 AbuAamir the Fon7 an aristo!rat member "rom the @haMraE tribe and well-ersed in

Torah and5ospel7 enied the Holy prophet (,AB) and !ontinuously !hallenged him until heparti!ipated in the battles o" hud and Hunain. He nally Ued to ;ome to preparean armyto ght against slam.


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5od7"asting7 and per"orming o" HaEE. They were taing it up to the "ourth heaen whenan angelwould say: ,top here Throw it against the "a!e and belly o" its doer. am theangel thatre!ord sel"-admiration. He was sel"-!on!eited. He had good deeds7 but he wasselmportant.Fy $ord has ordered to stop his deed to pass on to others "rom here.C

Then he said: The ne*t stage7 the guardian angels tae up manCs deed whi!h islie a brideready "or wedding. Bhen they rea!h the "th heaen7 the good deed isa!!ompanied by

Lihad7 and prayer with rays o" light lie those o" the ,un.C Howeer7 the angel willsay: ,tophere am the angel re!ording eny. Throw it against the "a!e o" its doer and putit on hisshoulder. He was enious against the seeers o" nowledge and the obedient

ones to 5od.Bheneer he saw someone superior in deotion7 he enied him. Here7 that manCsdeed isput on his shoulder while his deed !urses him. Then he said: on!e again7 theguardianangels tae up manCs deeds to the si*th heaen7 but the angel will say: ,tophere am theangel re!ording mer!y. Throw this deed against the "a!e o" its doer and mae himblind7 "orhe had no mer!y on anyone. " anyone !ommitted a wrongdoing or suIered aloss7 hewould blame him.

Fy $ord has ordered me to stop his deed "rom passing on "rom here. He said: Theguardianangels tae up to heaen manCs deed whi!h is a!!ompanied by understanding7endeaorand piety while it has a sound lie that o" thunder and lightning. n addition7 threethousandangels will a!!ompany it. Bhen they rea!h the angel in the seenth heaen7 hewill say:,top here Throw this deed against the "a!e o" its doer. am the angel in !hargeo" eiling. will !on!eal "rom Him any deed whi!h is not "or the sae o" Him.

This person intended to obtain a high position with the !hie"s and to haereputation. Fy$ord has ordered me to stop him "rom passing on to others as long as his deedhas notbeen rened "or 5od. Then he said: This time7 the guardian angels will tae upmanCs deeds"or whi!h man is happy. Keeds lie prayer7 alms7 "asting7 HaEE7 good temper7silen!e andremembran!e o" 5od whi!h are a!!ompanied by the heaenly angels as well asthe seenangels rip all the eils till they stand be"ore 5od and they testi"y "or him inpra!ti!e and

with KuCa. Howeer7 5od will say: Oou are the guardians o" the deeds o" Fyserants but


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am the guardian o" what passes in his heart. He did not intend Fe with his deeds.Fy !ursebe upon him. The angles will say: Oour !urse and our !urse be on himAt this time7 FuCath started weeping and then said: Bhat shall do to haedeotion in mydeedGC The Holy Prophet said:


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disbelieve in the signs of their 4ord and "is $eeting, so their deedsbeo$e null,and therefore, e 'ill not set u a balane for the$ on the


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He has toobsere the super!ial rule. Traditions on dissimulation (Taqiyyah) whi!h hasthe sameroot as Taqwa re"er to the same meaning.Kissimulation is a ind and the highest degree o" piety. Abdullah ibn Lundab hasbeenreported by Hammad ibn esa as saying: ?mam Fusa al-@adhim (A,)7 in giingthemeaning o" this erse: ?,urely7 the most honorable o" you with Allah is the most!are"ul o" his duty7 has said: t is the one with the utmost piety.C0Abdullah ibn OaC"oor reports: ? heard mam ,adiq (A,) say: Taqiyyah is the shieldand theprote!tor o" a belieer. Jne who has no Taqiyyah is not a belieer. 1mam ,adiq (A,) has also been reported as saying: ?There is nothing better than@habaC to5od in worshipping Him. ased what @habaC is7 and the mam said: t is the

same as Taqiyyah.C 2 There are many traditions on Taqiyyah whi!h mean sometimes that man should!on!eal his"aith in order to prote!t his own li"e and sometimes the lies o" others.At some times7 it is ne!essary "or a Fuslim to per"orm his religious duties lie theopponents. ,ayyid Furtadha (may Allah hae mer!y on him) has mentioned in hisboo al-Fuham wel-Futashabih that mam Ali (A,) said: ?Bhen man has the option7 hehas been"orbidden to tae an unbelieer as his leader o" mam. 8eertheless7 5od hasobliged man

by giing him permission (dissimulation) to "ast as the opponents "ast7 brea his"asting liethem7 and per"orm prayer as they do out o" Taqiyyah. Jtherwise7 it is in!umbentupon himto "ollow his own belie"s.5od Almighty has said: “4et not the believers ta!e the unbelievers forfriendsrather than the believers# and 'hoever does this shall have nothing of(theguardianshi of) Allah, but you should guard yourselves against the$,guarding

arefully# and Allah $a!es you autious of "i$self.%4 There"ore7 dissimulation is a blessing that 5od has gien to the belieers so as tosaethemseles and others. The Fessenger o" Allah (,AB) has said: ?Allah lies Hisserants toobsere what He has permitted and what he has "orbidden. 6

'? Ablution (%udu")Kawood ar-;aqqi has been reported as saying: ?Jne day7 went to mam ,adiq(A,) to ashim how to per"orm ablution !orre!tly. The mam (A,) said: Bhat 5od has madeobligatory

is to wash the "a!e on!e. The Fessenger o" Allah (,AB) has added one more to itto mind"or the wea people. Bhoeer washes his "a!e three times7 his prayer will


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be!ome inalid.CAt this time7 Kawood ibn Wurbi arried and ased the same question. The mam(A,) said:Three times7 three times and whoeer does less than that7 his prayer is notalid.CFy (Kawood ar-;aqqi) body started shiering. was being almost tempted by,atan. ,eeinga !hange o" !olor in me7 mam ,adiq (A,) said: J Kawood7 !alm down Bhi!h oneis o" unbelie"7 this order or the a!t o" beheadingGCBhen we went out7 we "ound that people had spoen ill o" bn Wurbi be"ore al-Fansoor ad-Kawaneeqi (the Abbasid !aliph)7 a!!using him o" being hereti! and asso!iatingwith mam,adiq (A,). bn Wurbi was in an or!hard near the or!hard o" al-Fansoor.Al-Fansoor said to himsel": ? will try him to see how he per"orms his ablution. "he does it

lie LaC"ar ibn Fohammad (A,) whi!h do not approe7 it will be!ome eident thatwhat theysay about him is true. n that !ase7 will ill him. There"ore7 he waited "or bnWurbi toper"orm ablution. bn Wurbi did as mam ,adiq (A,) had told him. Al-Fansoor sentsomeoneto !all him.Kawood says: Bhen went to al-Fansoor7 he greeted me7 saying: J Kawood

They haesaid something wrong about you. The way you per"ormed ablution was not liethepuri!ation by the hereti!s7 so "orgie me.C Then he ordered a hundred thousand

Kirhamsto be gien to him.CKawood ibn Wurbi and went to see mam ,adiq (A,). Wurbi said: my master7 yousae myli"e in this world. Thans to you. Be hope "or paradise. The mam said: Fay 5odrewardyou and all the belieers.CAddressing Wurbi7 the mam said: Tell Kawood ar-;aqqi what happened to you sothat hewill hae no "ear.CKawood Wurbi says: told him the whole story. The mam (A,) said: t was "or

this reasonthat issued su!h a


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gone.&

? Prayermam Fusa ibn LaC"ar (A,) has been reported by Ali (A,) ibn Oaqteen and ,heih,adooq assaying: ?Bhen dissimulating7 it is alid to prostrate on !lothes and !arpets. &&

mam ;eMa (A,) has been reported by #aManti as saying: ?n relation to +unoot(suppli!ating Allah earnestly in the prayer)7 mam #aqir (A,) has said: ?Oou haean optionto or not to re!ite +unoot.mam Fusa al-@adhim(A,) has said: ?Bhen you are in Taqiyyah7 do not re!ite+unoot7 and will be answerable "or that.&Abdullah ibn ,inan reports: ? heard mam ,adiq (A,) say: ? inite you to "earAllah. 8eerbe tough to people7 "or you will be abased. 5od Almighty has said: “-you shallsea! !indly to eole.%&

Then the mam said: ?Visit their (non-,hia Fuslims) patients7 tae part in their"unerals7bear witness "or and against them and per"orm prayers with them in theirmosques.&0mam ,adiq (A,) has also been reported as saying: ?Bhoeer per"orms prayerwith them inthe rst line is lie one who has per"ormed prayer behind the Fessenger o" Allah(,AB) inthe rst line. &1n another narration7 we read that the mam said to sshaq ibn Ammar: ?Tae partin their

prayer7 "or whoeer per"orms prayer in the rst line with them7 is lie one whohas drawnthe sword in the way o" Allah.&2

+? !asting There are numerous traditions on "asting in whi!h the in"allible mams (A,) didnot obsere"asting to !ope with the tyrant !aliphs. Jne o" the !ompanions o" mam ,adiq(A,)7 who had!ome to isit him7 said: ?Bould you brea your "asting on a day o" ;amadanG

The mamsaid: ?Oes7 by Allah To iolate my "asting in a day o" ;amadan is better to me

than to bebeheaded.&4


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what the prophet and 5od say.As Taqiyyah is applied in the slami! rules7 it is applied in relation to ideology too.

There aremany narrations in this !onne!tion. mam ,adiq (A,) has said: ?#e !are"ul o" yourreligion.3on!eal it with Taqiyyah7 "or there is no "aith "or one who does not obsere

Taqiyyah. Oouare lie a honeybee among birds. " a bird nows what is inside a honeybee7 it willeep oneating the honey until nothing remains o" it. " the opponents now that there isthe loe o" the Ahl al-#ayt in your hearts7 they will eat you with their tongues and will !urseyou openlyand se!retly. Fay 5od bless a serant who "ollows our guardianship (wilayah).n some traditions7 mam Ali (A,) has said: ?,oon7 you will be ased to !urse me.3urse me7but when you are ased to disaow me7 do not do it7 "or am on the


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business as elaborated in the boos o" Eurispruden!e. ,ome s!holars hae writtenseparateboos on it. n this relation7 we !an mention Faasib written by the master o"

Eurisprudents,heih Ansari7 and Anees al-TeEarat written "or the


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(Kaid)(A,): ?Oou were a good serant i" you did not eat "rom the publi! treasury. Oou donot dowor with your own handsProphet Kaid began weeping. 5od reealed to iron: ?#e so"t and lenient "or Fyserant7Kawood5od Almighty made iron so"t "or him in a way that Prophet Kawood (a.s.) wouldmae a!uirass eery day and sell it "or a thousand Kirhams. He made 2 !uirasses7selling them"or 2 thousand Kirhams and was neer in need o" the publi! treasury.6Haing a share o" the publi! treasury does not ne!essarily mean a bad thing7 butin thestory o" Prophet Kawood7 there was wisdom behind it.Fohammad ibn Funadir reports: ?Jn a hot day7 went to Fedina where sawmam al-

#aqir (A,) leaning on two slaes due to his being !orpulent. said to mysel": Agreat mano" +uraish woring at this hour o" day in sear!h o" the material world will!ertainly giehim an adi!e.C There"ore7 approa!hed and saluted him. Bhile gasping7 themam (A,)greeted me ba!. ,weat was pouring "rom his head and "a!e be!ause o" hotweather. said: Fay Allah improe your aIairs A great man o" +uraish seeing the worldat thistime o" the day Bhat will happen i" death oertaes you in this situationGC Tainghis hands

away "rom the shoulders o" the two slaes and leaning against the wall7 he said:#y Allah7 i" death oertaes me and am in this situation7 will be in a state o" obedien!e toAllah bywhi!h !an presere my alue "rom you and people. am a"raid o" death onlywhen am!ommitting a sinC said: Fay Allah bless you intended to gie you adi!e7 but

you gaeme adi!e.C 9


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tradesmen


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!ome to this man and open his mouth. The man sitting on the ban o" the rierwould put astone in the swimmerCs mouth. This was his repeated doing.

The Holy prophet (,AB) ased about it and it was said to him: ?He has eatenusury duringhis li"e.04mam Ali (A,) has been reported by mam #aqir (A,) as saying: ?Jne who eatsusury7 theagent7 the one who writes (the !ontra!t)7 and the two witnesses inoled in thedealing o" usury are equal in the sin.06Allamah Tabarsi mentions that mam Ali (a.s.) said: ?The Fessenger o" Allah has!ursed egroups o" people !on!erning usuryQ the eater o" usury7 the agent7 the twowitnesses7 andthe writer (o" the !ontra!t).09t is "or this reason that the $ord o" the unierse has made piety obligatory in the

matter o" usury. Bheneer the question o" sale and usury are raised7 5od says7 ?


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&9. bid.7 p. 042.. BasaCil al-,hiah7 ol. &&7 p. 044.&. +urDan7 &2:&2.. BasaCil al-,hiah7 ol. &&7 p. 042.. +urDan7 &2:&2.0. Ta"sir o" ,a7 p. 1.1. 5oroohe ;astgaran (Those who were deliered)7 ol. &7 pp. 047 04.

2. bid.4. +urDan7 21:-.6. BasaCil al- ,hiah7 ol. &7 p. &1.9. bid.7 p. &2.. bid.7 p. &6.&. +urDan7 :&.. BasaCil al-,hiah7 ol. &7 p. .. Fawali (plural "orm o" mawla) means ?oneCs manumitted slaes.0. BasaCil al-,hiah7 ol. & p. 1.1. +urDan7 0:4.2. BasaCil al-,hiah7 ol. &7 p. 1.4. ,a"eenat al-#ihar7 ol. 7 p. 046.6. bid.9. BasaCil al-,hiah7 ol. &7 p. &.

0. bid.7 p. 6.0&. bid.7 p. 60.0. +urDan7 :42.0. +urDan7 :46-49.00. ,a"eenat al-#ihar7 ol. &7 p. 14.01. bid.7 p. 11.02. bid.7 p. 14.04. bid.7 p. 14.06. BasaCil al-,hiah7 ol. &7 p. 0.09. bid.1. Al-@a7 !hapter o" piety.

$3) Piety in %orshi11ingJne o" the other subEe!ts that hae been ordered in the Holy +uran and the,unna toobsere Taqwa in is worshipping. t means that we should now Bhom we areworshippingand Bho deseres to be worshipped. t is then that we will nd out the only beingbe"orewhom we should be humble7 to be deoted sin!erely7 and whom we should obeyis 5od.3an human beings arbitrarily worship 5odG 3an man bow to anyone and anythingherelishesG ,hould the a!t o" worshipping be done with sound motiationG Koes anidol made

by man7 a tree planted by him7 a !ow "ed by him7 the sun and stars whi!h appearanddisappear7 ,atan or a human who !annot eep a Uy or gnat away "rom himsel"desere tobe worshipedGAll the prophets hae been ordained to remind human beings not to worshipanything otherthan the All-wise7 the All-nowing7 the All-Power"ul and the er-liing 5od. TheprophetsC!alls were to worship 5odC: “And to Ad (e sent) their brother "ud. "esaid: * $y eole, serve Allah+ ?ou have no od other than "i$. ill you not then

guard (against evil)3%& or “And ertainly e sent oah to his eole and he


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said: * $y eole, serve Allah+ you have no od other than "i$. ill you not thenguard (against evil)3%mam Ali (A,) has been reported as saying: ?,o "ear Allah Bho benets you withHis adi!e7prea!hes to you through His Fessenger7 and endowed you with His "aors.Keoteyourseles to His worship7 and "ulll His rights on you as He deseres.

Truly7 only 5od deseres to be worshipped as we re!ite in our prayer: “hee(alone) do'e serve and thee (alone) do 'e beseeh for hel.%(&:1)

The worshipping o" 5od should be pra!ti!ed sin!erely. n this relation7 $ady


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worship7 there is an intensie desire7 then it will languish. Hen!e7 one whosedesire "orworshipping is based on my ,unnah7 will be guided7 and whoeer !hallenges my,unnahwill be misled and his deed will be in ain. @now that oIer prayer7 sleep7 "ast7brea my"asting7 laugh7 and weep. Bhoeer deiates "rom my ,unnah is not "rom me.&Borshipping should be based on "ull a!nowledgement o" 5od. The worshippershould nowwhom he is worshipping and what he is worshipping "or. He should not be lie anas!eti!who worshipped 5od "or a long time and when an angel ased 5od to show hisreward7 itseemed ery little to the angel. Addressing the angel7 5od said: 5o to him tonow that Bereward men a!!ording the e*tent o" nowledge and deeds.C

The angel went to the as!eti! who was busy oIering prayer. Bhen he !ompleted

his prayer7the angel ased: Ko you hae any desire or wish to be "ullledGC The as!eti! said:Oes7 wish that 5od might send His ass to eat "rom this grass7 "or it is being wasted.&&Another as!eti! had made blis angry. blis !alled all the deils7 saying to them:Bhi!h oneo" you !an mislead this as!eti!GC a!h o" the deils oIered a way o" misleading7liegambling7 adultery7 sodomy and others. blis said: That is not a right way. Jne o"the deilssaid: will mislead him through worshipping.C blis said: That is the way.C Thedeil went to

the as!eti! and oIered so mu!h prayer that the as!eti! man be!ame in"atuatedby hisprayer. The as!eti! !ame to him to tal with him7 but the deil ignored him inorder to maehim more eager.


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the Ahl al-#ayt hae re!ommended. A true worshipper should neer interpretslami! rulesdue to his personal opinion. He should now that the only way "or the !orre!timplementation o" religious rules is the path o" prophets and their su!!essors.Anyway7piety has to be e*er!ised in all !ases.&. +urDan7 4:21.. 8ahE al-#alaghah7 ol. 7 p. 22.. +urDan7 &:1.0. #ihar al-Anwar7 ol. 247 p. 09.1. bid.7 ol. 267 p. 1.2. ,a"eenat al-#ihar7 ol. 7 p. &&.4. Fostadra 8ahE al-#alaghah7 p. &21.6. #ihar al-Anwar7 ol. 247 p. 1&.9. bid.&. ,a"eenat al-#ihar7 ol. 7 p. &.&&. bid.&. ,a"eenat al-#ihar7 ol. 7 p. &&0.

$4) Piety And PrayerAs it !an be in"erred "rom traditions7 prayer is the best a!t a"ter thea!nowledgement o" 5od. FoCawiyah ibn Bahab reports that mam ,adiq (A,) was ased: ?Bhat is thebest a!twhi!h taes serants near to their $ordG The mam (A,) said: ? do not !onsiderany a!tbetter than prayer a"ter the a!nowledgement o" 5od. Ko you not now that therighteousserant o" 5od Lesus (A,) said: 5od has re!ommended prayer to me.C n the Holy+uran7there are about si*ty or seenty o!!asions on whi!h 5od has spoen o" it.

t is "or the same reason that the a!nowledges and sworn enemy o" humanbeings7 ,atan7wors hard to mislead worshippers in diIerent ways lie maing a worshipperper"orm hisprayer not within the diine boundary7 maing it inalid or dissuading the person"romper"orming his prayer at all. Hen!e7 the $ord o" the unierse has re!ommendedhismessenger to tell His serants:“Shall 'e all on that besides Allah, 'hih does not benet us nor har$us, and shall 'e be returned ba! on our heels after Allah has guided us, li!ehi$ 'ho$the devils have $ade to fall do'n erle/ed in the earth3 "e haso$anions'ho all hi$ to the right 'ay, (saying): Co$e to us. Say: Surely theguidane of Allah, that is the (true) guidane, and 'e are o$$anded that 'eshould sub$it to the 4ord of the 'orlds. And you should !ee u rayer and be areful of (your duty to) "i$# and "e it is to ho$ you shall be gathered.%&,hould you hae a loo at the prayer o" the Fuslims o" the world and thin about

its qualityand quantity7 you will see many deiations and negligen!e in it7 whereas 5od has


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re!ommended Taqwa a"ter ordering the prayer. There are among Fuslims ones who do not per"orm prayer7 as i" prayer is amountain andthey are !harged to !arry it. ,ome o" them een mo! at prayer. ,hould theydeny it7 theywill be !onsidered as apostate then. There are another group o" Fuslims who donot denyprayer nor do thy mo! at it7 but they are indiIerent. ,ome others per"ormprayer7 butwhat a prayer 8either !orre!t puri!ation nor !orre!t ablution 8either per"e!tre!itation o" prayer nor per"e!t genuUe!tion and prostration 8either the permissibility o" thepla!e o" prayer not o" their !lothes is important to them 8either law"ul nor unlaw"ulissues o" prayerare o" any importan!e to them

There are other Fuslims who per"orm their prayer !orre!tly7 but their prayer has

nospirituality. There are people who hae per"ormed prayer "or their whole lies7 buthae notrea!hed any spiritual position. Perhaps7 most o" us are in!luded in this !ategory.t is perhaps "or the same reason that a"ter ordering prayer7 5od Almighty hasordered

Taqwa7 that is to be !are"ul o" negligen!e7 waywardness7 laMiness7 into*i!ation7idle sport7and the adheren!e to anyone other than 5od7 the Prophet7 and his household.Bhat is this prayer7 whi!h has been so emphasiMed by 5odGBe should now that the greatest "a!tor whi!h preents inde!en!y and eil isprayer that

too a!!ompanied by Taqwa. n this relation7 5od says: “Surely rayer !ees(one) a'ay fro$ indeeny and evil.%nde!en!y has been dened as something whose ugliness in behaior and spee!hiseident. il (denied deeds) is an a!t !onsidered ugly by sound reason or!onsidered uglyby religion when sound reason !annot pass a Eudgment on it. en i" there was nobenet"or prayer other than what we said7 it would suR!e.Prayer has been re!ommended to all prophets in!luding Lesus7 Lohn7 Abraham

(A,) andothers. Aboe all7 the prophets themseles as the $ord o" the unierse to maethem eepup prayer. Prophet Abraham (A,) ass 5od: “&y 4ord+ &a!e $e !ee u rayer and fro$ $y o@sring (too)...%

To eep up prayer is one o" the "eatures o" belieers7 bene"a!tors7 the pious andmen o" understanding. There are numerous erses in the Holy +uran7 whi!h re"er to thesamesubEe!t: “hose 'ho believe in the unseen and !ee u rayer%0lsewhere7 the Holy +uran says: “hese are verses of the oo! of isdo$,

guidaneand a $ery for the doers of goodness, those 'ho !ee u rayer...%1


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The Holy prophet (,AB) has been reported as saying: ?The best o" deeds to 5odthe mostHigh and *alted is prayer7 beneolen!e7 and Lihad.2mam Ali (A,) has been reported as saying: ? adise you to eep to prayer andbe !are"ulo" it. ,urely7 that is the best a!t and it is the pillar o" your religion.4

There are many benets in prayer about whi!h a separate boo !an be written.Prayer isthe best way to tal with 5od. That is why mam Ali (A,). mam ,aEEad (A,)7 andothermams (A,) per"ormed a thousand raCas o" prayer during a day and a nightQ theprayerthat was oIered in the highest spirituality and a!nowledgement o" 5od7 theprayer theythemseles re!ommended to us: ?JIer your prayer as i" it is the last one.

There"ore7per"orm it with humbleness7 in !ongregation7 in the mosque7 at its proper time7 in

!lean!lothes7 with mind"ulness7 long prostration and "ull submission.Jne should note that prayer is the best way to get near to 5od and "or sins to be"orgien.Abu HamMah ath-Thumali has reported: ? heard mam #aqir (A,) and mam ,adiq(A,) say:?mam Ali (A,) ased people: Bhat is the most hope"ul erse in the boo o"AllahGC ,omeman said: t is this erse: “Surely Allah does not forgive that anythingshould beassoiated 'ith "i$, and forgives 'hat is besides that to 'ho$soever"e

leases.%6Cmam Ali (A,) said: t is a good erse7 but it is not the answer.CAnother man said: t is this erse: “And 'hoever does evil or ats unjustlyto his soul then as!s forgiveness of Allah, he shall nd Allah 8orgiver and&eriful.%9Cmam Ali (A,) said: t is a good erse7 but it is not the answer.CA third one said: t is this erse: “* $y servants+ ho have atede/travagantly against their o'n souls, do not desair of the $ery of Allah# surely Allah

forgives the faults altogether# surely "e is the forgiving, the&eriful.%&9mam Ali (A,) said: t is a good erse7 but it is not the answer.CA "ourth man said: The answer is this erse: “And those 'ho 'hen theyo$$it anindeeny or do injustie to their souls re$e$ber Allah and as!forgiveness for their fault; and 'ho forgives the fault but Allah; and ('ho) do not!no'ingly ersist in 'hat they have done.%&&9mam Ali (A,) said: t is a good erse7 but that is not the answer.C(Abu HamMah added) People rushed towards the imam7 saying: #y Allah7 we

hae nonowledge o" it.C


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mam Ali (A,) said: heard "rom the Fessenger o" Allah his saying7 The mosthope"ul ersein the boo o" Allah is “And !ee u rayer at the t'o ends of the day andin therst hours of the night# surely good deeds ta!e a'ay evil deed# this is are$inder to the $indful.%&!"

The messenger o" Allah (,AB) said: ?J Ali swear by Him Bho has sent with thetruth as abearer o" good tidings and a warner that wheneer one o" you gets up to per"ormwuduC(ablution)7 sins began "alling away "rom his body7 and when he stands up with his"a!e andheart be"ore 5od "or prayer7 nothing shall remain "rom his sins be"ore he nisheshisprayer. t is as i" he has been born Eust then. And i" he !ommits a sin between twoprayers7

shall it be "or him as that (to be omitted by the ne*t prayer as said be"ore). ntilhe!ounted e prayers.

Then the messenger o" Allah (,AB) said: ?J Ali The e*ample o" the e prayers"or mymmah is the lie a rier Uowing near the door o" your house. " there is lth inthe body o" one o" you and he puries himsel" in that rier e times a day7 will there remainany lth inhis bodyG #y Allah7 su!h are the e prayers "or my mmah.&3onsidering what we hae said7 leaing prayer is blameworthy and entails seerepunishment7 whi!h is Hell. That is why when the inhabitants o" Hell shall be

ased: “hat has brought you into hell, they shall say: e 'ere not of those 'hoo@ered rayers.%&0t is "or the same reason that the "orsaers o" prayer are !onsidered asunbelieers by thegreat Eurisprudents o" slam7 in the !ase i" they thin that giing up the prayer islaw"ul7 buti" the thin it is unlaw"ul7 then a"ter giing up intentionally three prayers7 whenthere is adis!retionary punishment between them7 one deseres to be illed.

The Holy prophet (,AB) has been reported as saying: ?Jne who is sluggish and!areless inoIering his prayer7 will be aSi!ted with "teen aSi!tions by 5od7 blessing will beremoed"rom his li"e and sustenan!e7 the miens o" the righteous shall be remoed "romhis "a!e7 heshall not be rewarded "or any good deed he does7 his suppli!ation shall not beraised toheaen7 there shall be no share "or him "rom the suppli!ation o" the righteous7 hewill diehungry and thirsty7 5od will assign an angel in his grae to torment him7 hisgrae shall be

dar7 an angel shall be ordered to draw him on his "a!e while people shall loo athim7 he


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will be re!oned a hard re!oning7 5od will not loo at him with mer!y7 he shallnot bepuried7 and there shall be a seere !hastisement "or him.&1&. +urDan7 2:4&-4.. +urDan7 9:01.. +urDan7 &0:0.

0. +urDan7 :.1. +urDan7 &:-0.2. #ihar al- Anwar7 ol. 67 p. 2.4. bid.7 p. 96. +urDan7 0:06.9. +urDan7 0:&&.&. +urDan7 9:1.&&. +urDan7 :&1.&. +urDan7 &&:&&0.&. #ihar al-Anwar7 ol. 67 p. .&0. +urDan7 40:0-0.&1. ,a"eenat al- #ihar7 ol. 7 p. 0.

$5) Piety And !astingJne o" the other religious obligations whi!h require TaqwaC in pra!ti!e and haeno worthwithout Taqwa is


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n another erse7 we read: “* you 'ho believe+ See! assistane through atieneand rayer# Surely, Allah is 'ith the atient (fasting ones).%Another +urani! erse re!ites: “Surely, the $en 'ho sub$it (to Allah) andthe'o$en 'ho sub$it, and the believing $en and the believing 'o$en,and theobeying $en and the obeying 'o$en, and the truthful $en and thetruthful 'o$en, and the atient $en and the atient 'o$en, and the hu$ble$en and the hu$ble 'o$en, and the al$sgiving $en and the al$sgiving 'o$en,and thefasting $en and the fasting 'o$en, and the $en 'ho guard their rivate artsand the 'o$en 'ho guard, and the $en 'ho re$e$ber Allah $uh andthe

'o$en 'ho re$e$ber, Allah has reared for the$ forgiveness and a$ighty re'ard.%0


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and "orgieness "or su!h oneG The answer is !ertainly yesC.


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There"ore7 wheneer you "ast7 eep your tongue "rom telling lies7 lower your eyes(not toloo lust"ully at persons who it is unlaw"ul to loo at)7 do not quarrel with others7do noteny7 do not dispute7 do not !hallenge others7 do not get angry7 do not ba!bite7do notabuse anyone7 do not tal badly7 do not be laMy7 do not bother others7 do notoppress7 donot be waste"ul7 do not torture anyone7 and do not ignore the remembran!e o"5od andprayer.@eep silent7 be patient7 be truth"ul7 and wait "or what 5od has promised you whileyou arehope"ul o" meeting Him.t is in!umbent on you to be tranquil7 humble7 grae7 and submissie as a seranta"raid o" his master7 or lie hope"ul ones7 who hae puried their hearts "rom i!es and

obsereopenly and se!retly what 5od has "orbidden. ntrust yourseles !ompletely to5od whileyou are "asting. t is only then that you hae obsered "asting "or the sae o" 5odand hae"ullled your duties. " you "ail to obsere what has been ordained "or you7 it willbe redu!ed"rom the reward o" your "ast. The holy prophet (,AB) heard a women !urse her"emaleslae. The messenger o" Allah (,AB) ordered "ood to be brought be"ore thewoman andased her to eat. ,he said: ? am "asting7 J messenger o" Allah The holy

prophet said:?How are you "asting while you are !ursing your "emale slaeG ,urely7 "astingdoes not Eustmean to abstain "rom eating or drining. t means re"raining "rom bad deeds andbadspee!h too. There are "ew people who are truly "asting but many who arehungry.&n "a!t7 "asting is not to abstain "rom eating and drining alone7 but7 a!!ording tomoralists7"asting is !lassied into three !ategoriesQ ordinary7 spe!ial7 and ery spe!ial"asting.

Jrdinary "asting is the one whi!h preents you "rom eating and drining. tsirtue is to ridyou "rom !hastisement.,pe!ial "asting is to eep the eyes7 the ears7 the tongue7 and the body away "romsins inaddition to abstinen!e "rom eating and drining. There are many rewards "or thisind o" "asting.Very spe!ial "asting is to eep the heart and the mind away "rom all worldlyaIairs anddishonesty. To "ully obey 5od and deny whateer other than Him7 besidesabstaining "rom

eating and drining7 is the "asting o" the prophets7 the saints7 and those who are!lose to


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5od. ?The result o" su!h "asting is what eyes hae not seen7 ears hae not heardo"7 and theattainment o" what o!!urs to Eust "ew people.&&n the end7 it is well to draw the attention o" readers to an interesting story.Weinab7 a nie!eo" 8a"eesah7 a granddaughter o" mam Hasan (A,) narrates: ? used to be in theseri!e o" my aunt "or "orty years. Kuring this time7 neer saw her sleep during nights7 ornot "astingduring days. Bheneer said to her7 ?Bhy are you !ausing yoursel" so mu!htroubleG7 shewould say7 ?How !an get along easily with my sel"C while there are hard waysahead andno one !an pass through them e*!ept the true belieersG ,he had had a graedug in herown house in whi!h she would oIer prayer (re!ommended prayers that !anoIered in any

!ondition). ,he had re!ited the holy +uran si* thousand times therein7 and whenshe was todepart "rom this world7 she was "asting. Bheneer she was ased to brea her"ast7 shewould say: ?How strange hae been asing 5od "or the past thirty years tomeet Himwhile am "asting. How !an a!t !ontrary to my wishG !annot possibly do it,he startedre!iting the +urani! !hapter o" al-AnCam and when she rea!hed this erse “heyshall have the abode of eae 'ith their 4ord%7& she passed away.Bould you ponder on how su!h people are in their understanding o" the $ord7

prayer7"asting7 the +uran7 !harity7 and piety7 and how we areGHer husband7 sshaq al-FoCtaman son o" mam ,adiq (a.s.)7 intended to tae herbody toFedina to be buried in the #aqeeC !emetery. The gyptians gathered and did notallow himto do that. There was a quarrel between them until the man saw the holy prophet(,AB) inhis dream7 saying: ?J ssaq Ko not oppose the gyptians. $et them be blessedwith herholy body.

,urely7 anyone who has su!h "eatures shall be blessed during hisXher li"e and inhisXherdeath. ,he worshiped 5od "or years. ,he had deoted hersel" !ompletely to her$ord. ,here!ited the holy +uran all her li"e. ,he had helped the poor with her wealth. ,hehadper"ormed the haEE to the @aaba on "oot "or thirty times. The water o" her ablutionhadmade a blind Lewish girl be able to see7 and the gyptians were blessed with herholytomb.&&. #ihar al-Anwar7 ol. 97 pp. 02719.

. +urDan7 :&6.. +urDan7 :&1.0. +urDan7 :1.


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1. #ihar al-Anwar7 ol. 997 p. 69.2. bid.7 p. 9.4. bid.7 ol. 97 p. 9&.6. #ihar al-Anwar7 ol. 97 p. 9.9. +urDan7 &9:2.&. #ihar al-Anwar7 ol. 97 p. 9.&&. Lami al-,aadaat7 p. 2&9.

&. +urDan7 2:&4.&. ,a"eenat al-#ihar7 ol. 7 p. 22.

$8) Piety And the 2a@@Although the HaEE is an important religious obligation7 it is espe!ially related toTaqwaC7 "orit requires the suIering o" a long Eourney by people who lie in distant lands. talsorequires money7 health7 and sa"e route in a way that some s!holars hae!ompared to

LihadQ the greater Lihad in whi!h people sometimes lose their lies.Feeting with Fuslims "rom other se!ts7 taing part in world !ongresses o"

Fuslims on tradeand politi!s7 isiting the holy !ity o" Fedina7 taing oI oneCs ordinary !lothes andgettinginto the state o" hram (ritual !onse!ration)7 obsering all religious duties in the,haEarah(tree) Fosque7 moing towards the se!ure !ity o" Fe!!a7 per"orming Tawa" (!ir!umambulation around the @aaba)7 saCy (running) between the two "amoushills o" ,a"aand Farwah7 Taqseer (!lipping the n

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Taqwa (Piety) Advice of Ahl Al-Bayt