Chapter 4 - On Friendship, Hatred and Success

I saw something strange. I saw a man who was walking behind an animal. The animal slipped and fell down. The man said: “I wish you die!” The guardian angel on the right side said: “This was not a good deed to be recorded by me.” The guardian angel on the left side said: “This was not a sin to be recorded by me.” Then there came revelation to the guardian angel on the left side: “You must record whatever deeds that the guardian angel on the right side does not record.”

Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “Whoever expresses his love out of place is exposing his relationship to the threat of being cut off.”

“I swear by God that I like that man.” Imam Baqir (a.s) said: “Tell him that you like him if he does not know it. This will strengthen your friendship and is better for getting accustomed to each other.”

Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “My friendship with my fathers is dearer to me than my relationship with them. I can benefit from their friendship without this relationship, but I cannot benefit from this relationship without their friendship.”

“It is not so that a believer is needless of any traits. He always needs three traits: divine success, an inner council, and accepting advice.”