Important Advice

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Station your soul on the discipline for good companionship toward your companion, control your tongue and anger, reduce your useless activities, make your forgiveness readily available and act generously.’”

“Once we were in the presence of abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), when the house was full of people. He (the Imam) said, ‘One whose behavior toward his companion, comrade, tablemate and associate is not proper, is not of our people.’”

“Ja’far (a.s.), has narrated from his ancestors, ‘Alayhim al-Salam, who have said that the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has said, ‘Companion first, then is journey.’ ’Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.), has said, ‘You must not accompany during a journey one who does not consider your favor to him of the same value as his favors he does to you.’”

“Abu Ja’far (a.s.), has said, ‘Accompany someone like yourself. Do not accompany one who suffices you; it is humiliation for a believing person.’”

“I once said to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘You are aware of my affluent condition and my extending helping hand toward my brothers (in belief). Should I accompany certain individuals from among them during my journey to Makkah and extend a helpful hand toward them?’ He (the Imam) replied, ’You must not do so, O Shihab. If you do so, they will also do it, you overburden them, and if they did not do so, you have humiliated them. Therefore, accompany people like yourself.”’

foiiowing: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ’Can a less affluent person accompany affluent people during the journey to Makkah, when he cannot spend as much as they do?’ He (the Imam) replied, ’I do not like his humiliating himself. He should accompany people of his own status.’”