The Exclusive Honors that Allah has Reserved for the Believers

51. Zurarah narrated: I was seated in the presence of Abu 'Abd Allah (a.s) when he was asked concerning the words of Allah [M.G]: Whoever brings a good deed, he shall have ten like it… [Holy Quran 6/160], 'Does it apply to those whom do not confess of this affair (of Wilayah)?’'It is exclusively for believers,' he replied.

Archangel Gabriel descended to the Prophet (a.s) and said: O Muhammad! Your Lord says: One who humiliates My believing servant confronts Me with war. My believing servant has never drawn closer to Me with anything better than fulfilling the obligatory acts; and indeed, he performs the supererogatory acts for Me until I love him. So, when I love him, I become his ears that he hears with, his eyes that he sees with, his hands that he grasps with and his legs that he walks with. There is nothing I hesitate in doing like in taking the life of My believing servant. He dislikes death and I dislike causing him pain. Yet amongst the believers there are some who will not be well except by destitution and if I were to surround them with wealth, it would be evil for them; and amongst them are some who are not well except in affluence and if I were to surround them with poverty, it would be evil for them. Sometimes, My servant asks Me to fulfill a need (he has), but I deny him because of what is best for him.

One who humiliates My friend has prepared for a battle with Me. And a servant has never drawn close to Me with anything better than what I have made obligatory on him; and indeed, he draws closer to Me with supererogatory actions until I love him. And when I love him, I become his ears that he hears with, his eyes that he sees with, his hands that he grasps with and his legs that he walks with. If he calls upon Me, I answer him; and if He asks from Me, I grant him. There is nothing I hesitate in doing like in taking the life of a believer. He dislikes death and I dislike causing him pain.

Allah [M.G] says: One who humiliates My friend has set out to fight Me; and I am the swiftest in coming to My friends' aid. I do not hesitate in doing anything except in taking the life of My believing servant. I would love to meet him but he dislikes death; so, I avert it from him (for a while). He asks Me and I give him; he calls upon Me and I answer him. And if in this world there was none but one believing servant, he would suffice Me in place of all My other creation and I would make for him his faith a companion so that he would never need the company of others.

I met Abu Ja'far (a.s) and said to him, 'I have a request.' He answered, 'Meet me in Makkah.' So, I met him there and said, 'Son of Allah's Messenger, I have a request?' 'Meet me in Mina,' he replied. So, I met him in Mina and said, 'Son of Allah's Messenger, I have a request.' 'Tell me of your request', he said. 'Son of Allah's Messenger, I have committed a sin that is only between me and Allah. No one else knows of it. And I hold you in too high an esteem to reveal it before you.' 'On the Day of Resurrection', Abu Ja'far (a.s) responded, 'Allah will manifest (His Presence) to His believing servant and recount for him his sins one by one. Then He will pardon them for him. None shall know of this, neither an archangel nor a prophet ever sent.' According to another tradition, the Imam continued, 'And He will conceal for him his sins that he hates to see revealed. Then He shall say to his sins: Transform to good deeds! And that is the meaning of the words of Allah: '… So, these are they of whom Allah changes their evil deeds to good ones. [Holy Quran 25/70]'

A disbeliever calls out (for his needs) and Allah says, 'Hasten his wish to him,' out of aversion for his voice. And a believer supplicates for his needs and Allah says, 'Delay his wish,' out of a longing for his voice. So, on the Day of Resurrection, Allah will say (to the believer), 'You asked Me for such-and-such and I delayed answering you; so, your reward (for the delay) is such-and-such.' A believer will at that time wish any of his supplications had been never answered in the world when he sees how excellent the reward is.

When a believer dies, his two angels ascend (to the heavens) and say, 'O Lord, so-and-so has passed away.' So He (Allah) says (to them), 'Descend and pray besides his grave, magnifying and glorifying Me until the Day of Resurrection, and record your actions for him (as his reward).'

Just as there is nothing to gain from polytheism, there is nothing to lose with faith