Chapter 7 - On Noble Characteristics

Imam Baqir (a.s) said: “They brought several captives to the Prophet (a.s). He ordered all but one off them to be killed. That captive asked: 'O' Prophet of God! Why did you free me from among us?” The Prophet (a.s) said: “Gabriel informed me that God said that you have five characteristics which God and His Prophet love: serious zeal about your family, generosity, being good-tempered, honesty, and bravery.” When the man heard this he accepted Islam and became a good Muslim. He accompanied the Prophet in a holy war, really fought hard and was martyred.

“O' Prophet of God! Yes please.” He said: “The ones who are good-tempered; most patient; kindest to relatives regarding what is right; restrain their anger; most forgiving; and most fair at times of pleasure and anger.”

Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “We love those of our followers who are intelligent, understanding, persevering, knowledgeable, patient, kind, persevering and loyal. God the Almighty has granted the noblest human characteristics to the Prophets. Whoever possesses those characteristics should be grateful to God. Whoever does not possess them should cry and ask God to grant him these characteristics.” He was asked: “What are these characteristics?” He said: “Piety, contentment, perseverance, gratitude, patience, shame, generosity, bravery, zeal, goodness, honesty and trustworthiness.”

Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “God the Almighty has granted the noblest characteristics to the Prophets. Whoever possesses these characteristics should realize that God has wished him well, and whoever does not possess these characteristics should pray to God and ask Him to be granted these characteristics. These characteristics are certitude, contentment, perseverance, gratitude, patience, being good-tempered, generosity, zeal, brevity, manliness, goodness and trustworthiness.”

Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “There are ten characteristics which are the noblest. Try to attain them. They may be in a servant, and not in his master. They may be in a father but not in his son.” They asked him what these characteristics were. He said: “Real courage honesty in speech, trustworthiness, maintaining the relations of kin, hospitality, feeding the needy, compensating for other people's kindness, respecting the rights of neighbors, respecting the rights of friends, and above all having shame.”

Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “God the Almighty has partitioned Islam into seven parts. These are goodness, honesty, certitude, contentment (with divine destiny), loyalty, knowledge and patience. Then he has distributed these among the people. Whoever possesses all seven has perfect faith and is strong. He gave some people just one, some just two, some just three, some just four, some just five, some just six, and some all seven of these.” Then he added: “Therefore you should not expect one who has only been given one or two parts of the faith to be responsible for more, since he cannot bear more, and so on.”

Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “Whoever possesses the following four characteristics has perfected his Islam even if he lived in sin all his life: honesty, trustworthiness, shame, and good-temper.”

“This means that the people who were good- tempered, most generous, best with their neighbors and did not hurt others in the era of Ignorance were the closest to the people. Islam did not add anything but honor to them.”

a man came in and greeted them. Imam Sadiq (a.s) asked him: “How are the believing brothers with whom you were?” He admired them. Imam Sadiq (a.s) asked: “How much do the rich attend to the poor?” He said: “Little.” Imam Sadiq (a.s) asked: “How often do the rich visit the poor?” He said: “Not often.” The Imam (a.s) asked: “How much do the rich help the poor?” He said: “You are talking about such behavior that is rare among us.” Then Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “How do you then consider yourselves to be our followers?”

world seemed to be very small in his eyes. His stomach did not rule him. He did not try to attain what he did not possess. He was not controlled by lust, therefore he was not feeble-minded. He was free from the rule of ignorance, therefore he never asked any untrustworthy person for anything. He never had a very good appetite. He was not boring. He was content. He was silent most of his life. He never quarrelled with others when they talked. He never took part in any fights. He did not present any reasons unless the judge was present. He was not inattentive to his religious brothers. He did not consider himself to be superior to his believing brothers. He was slim. He considered himself to be weak. He was like a formidable lion when he fought. He never blamed anyone for what they could apologize for, and let them apologize. He did what he said, and did not talk about things he did not do. Whenever he faced a dilemma, he would oppose the option that was closer to his selfish desires. He never expressed his problems for people who could not supposedly help resolve them. He never consulted with anyone who did not wish him well. He never got depressed, or discontent. He did not complain. He did not ask for much. He did not take revenge. He was not unaware of the enemies' plots. Now try to attain these noble characteristics. Even if you cannot attain all of them, attaining some is better than lacking them all. There is no power except in, or by means of God.”

Either Imam Baqir (a.s) or Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “One of the adornments of Islam is good behavior with the people. So please have good behavior since it will make you look good to the people. When they see you speak fair they cannot oppose what you say. Verily God the Almighty has rightly said: “And thou (standest) on an exalted standard of character.” [The Holy Quran: Qalam 68:4] Such behavior is in your own hands.”

“What is it?” He said: “Perseverance.” The Prophet (a.s) asked: “What is better than perseverance.” He said: “Contentment.” The Prophet (a.s) asked: “What is better than contentment?” He said: “Sincerity.” The Prophet (a.s) asked: “What is better than sincerity.” He said: “Abstinence.” The Prophet (a.s) asked: “What is better than abstinence?” He said: “Certitude.” The Prophet (a.s) asked: “What is better than certitude.” He said: “O' Prophet of God! The way to get to all of the above is reliance on God.” The Prophet (a.s) asked: “O' Gabriel! What does reliance on God mean?” Gabriel said: “It means that you know creatures can neither harm nor benefit you, and get to used to having any hopes in the people. When you are this way, you will only rely on God, and will only have hopes in or fear from God. You will never expect anything from anyone but God. This is the meaning of reliance on God.” The prophet (a.s) said: “O' Gabriel! What does perseverance mean?” He said: “Being patient during times of hardship as you are during times of self-sufficiency. Being patient during times of calamities as you are during times of health, and not complaining to God when calamities descend down upon you. The Prophet (a.s) asked: “What does contentment mean?” He said: “A content person does not get angry with his master whether or not he gets access to worldly goods, and is not pleased with his own minimal efforts.” The Prophet (a.s) asked: “O' Gabriel! What does abstinence mean?” He said: “Abstinence means: “Liking what your Creator likes, and hating what your Creator hates; staying away from the legitimate things in this world, and totally forgetting about what is forbidden. This is because there is a reckoning for what is made legitimate, and there is punishment for what is forbidden. Abstinence means being kind to all Muslims just as you are with yourself. Abstinence means not overeating just as you stay away from a stinking corpse. Abstinence means staying away from the adornments of this world just as you stay away from an all- encompassing fire. Abstinence means not having high hopes just as if you are about to die.” The Prophet (a.s) asked: “O' Gabriel! What does sincerity mean?” He said: “One who is sincere will not ask for anything from the people and he struggles to obtain it himself, and is content with it once he obtains it. He will give what is left over with him in charity for the sake of God, since whoever does not ask any creatures for anything has indeed confessed his servitude to God. God will be pleased with whoever is pleased with what he obtains. Whoever gives charity for God's pleasure has indeed reached the level of trust in his Lord.” The Prophet (a.s) asked: “O' Gabriel! What does certitude mean?” He said: “Whoever has attained certitude performs his deeds for the sake of God just as if he sees God. Even though he cannot see God he knows that God witnesses whatever he does. He is certain that he will suffer as much sorrow and experience as much happiness as he is destined to. He is certain that he will not obtain what is not destined for him. These are all branches of reliance on God, and the steps to abstinence.”

Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “The most beneficial thing for man is to realize his faults before others do. The hardest thing to do is to cover up poverty. The best level of self-sufficiency is wishing well for someone who refuses it, and living next door to a greedy person. The best form of comfort is not placing any hopes in people.”