محمد بن علي الباقر عليه السلام

Imam Baqir (a.s) said: “One of the back-breaking calamities is a bad neighbor who will cover up your good acts and divulge your bad deeds.”

Imam Baqir (a.s) quoted God's Prophet (a.s): “The one whose neighbors are not secure from his harm is not a believer.”

“Of the back-breaking misfortunes, one is a bad neighbor who hides all good things about his neighbor and publicizes all the bad things about him.”

I wanted to marry Fatima bt. Muhammad (s), but I did not dare mention it to the Prophet (s). That distress remained in my chest night and day, till I visited the Messenger of Allah (s). So, he said: O `Ali! I said: I am at your service, O Messenger of Allah. He said: Will you be getting married? I said: The Messenger of Allah knows better [than I]. I thought he wanted to marry me to one of the women of Quraysh, and I was afraid that Fatima would slip away. I did not indicate anything; till the Messenger of Allah (s) sent for me, saying: Respond to the Prophet and hurry. We did not see the Messenger of Allah (s) more gleefully happy than we did that day. He said: So, I hurried to him, and he was in the house of Umm Salama. When he looked at me, his face brightened with happiness and he smiled, until I saw his shining, white teeth. So, he said: Be happy, `Ali, for Allah has sufficed me in my concern over your marriage. Then, I said: How is that, O Messenger of Allah? He said: Gabriel came to me with a bouquet and cloves from Paradise and gave them to me. So, I took them and smelled them; then I said: “What is the reason for this bouquet and the cloves?” So, he said: “Allah has commanded the angelic inhabitants of Paradise to adorn all of Paradise in its estates, its trees, its fruits, and its palaces; and He called for it to be perfumed, so it was bestowed with various perfumes. Its houris were commanded to recite Surat Taha, Surat al-Shu`ara’, Surat al-Qisas, Surat al-Naml, Surat Yasin, and Surat al-Shura. Then, a caller called from beneath the Throne: ‘Surely, today is the walima of `Ali b. Abi Talib. Surely, I testify to you that I have married Fatima bt. Muhammad to `Ali b. Abi Talib by My will – each of them is for the other.’ Then, Allah sent forth a white cloud, and it rained pearls, gems, and rubies onto them. The angels stood and sprinkled the flowers and cloves, and this is of what the angels sprinkled. Then, Allah ordered an angel from the angels named Rahil – and there is no angel more eloquent than him – to speak; saying: ‘Give a sermon, Rahil.’ Then, he gave a sermon that none from the people of heaven or Earth have heard the like of. Then, a caller called: ‘O My angels and inhabitants of My Paradise! Congratulate `Ali b. Abi Talib the beloved of Muhammad and Fatima bt. Muhammad, for they are blessed. Surely, I have married the most beloved of women to Me to the most beloved of men to Me after the prophets and messengers.’ Then, the angel Rahil said: ‘O Lord! How have you blessed them further than what we have already seen in Your Paradise and Your abode?’ So, He said: ‘O Rahil! Among My blessing of them is that I will gather them both upon My love and make them a Proof over My creation. By My glory and My majesty! I will create a creation from them, and create a progeny from them, and make them My treasuries in My Earth, goldmines of My knowledge, and callers to My religion. I will make them incumbent upon My creation after the prophets and messengers.’” So, be happy, `Ali, for Allah has surely blessed you with a blessing that He has not blessed anyone with. I marry you to my daughter Fatima upon what the Merciful has married you. I am pleased with what Allah is pleased with for her. So, take your wife, for you have more right to her than me. Gabriel informed me that Paradise longs for you two; and had it not been for Allah wanting to bring a Proof over the creation from you, He would have brought you to Paradise and its people. You are the most blessed of brothers, the most blessed of grooms, and the most blessed of companions. The contentment of Allah suffices for you. `Ali (as) said: So, I said: O Messenger of Allah! My destiny is such that I was mentioned in Paradise, and Allah married me before the angels! So, he (as) said: When Allah blesses His friend, He loves him, and He blesses him with what no eye has seen, and no ear has heard. He wanted her for you, `Ali. Then, `Ali (as) said: “O Lord! Help me thank You for the blessing that You have bestowed upon me.” (27:19) Then, the Messenger of Allah (s) said: Amen.

he said that The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.s.) who said: “Allah showers mercy on the father who helps his son in doing good. He showers mercy on a person who helps his neighbor in doing good. One who helps his friend in doing good Allah showers mercy on the former. Similarly one who helps his companion in doing good, Allah showers mercy on the former too. Also one who helps his master in doing good, Allah showers mercy on that person.”

I heard my grandfather the Messenger of Allah (s) say to me: Perform the obligations of Allah, and you will be the most Godfearing of people. Be content with what Allah has distributed, and you will be the richest of people. Abstain from what Allah has forbidden, and you will be the most pious of people. Beautify your neighbourliness to your neighbours, and you will be a believer. Beautify your companionship with your companions, and you will be a Muslim.

The Messenger of Allah (s) said: May Allah have mercy on a man who helps his father in his righteousness. May Allah have mercy on a father who helps his child in his righteousness. May Allah have mercy on a neighbour who helps his neighbour in his righteousness. May Allah have mercy on a friend who helps his friend in his righteousness. May Allah have mercy on an acquaintance that helps his acquaintance in his righteousness. May Allah have mercy on a man who helps his ruler in his righteousness.

Amir al-Mu’minin (as) appeared at the most difficult stand in Siffin when a man from Bani Dudan went to him and said: What is the matter with your people who have pushed you away from this Order, even though you are the noblest in lineage, the closest to the Messenger, and the most knowing of the Quran and the Sunna? So, he said: You have asked – O brother from Bani Dudan, and you have the right to ask, and the right of kinship – and you are anxious and distressed, and you ask of something unintentionally. This is a time that has deprived the souls of one people and spoiled the souls of the other – and Allah is the best of judges. So, abandon the story of loss, which has left hues and cries in its place, and tend to the speeches of the son of Abi Sufyan, for time has made me laugh after it has made me weep. There is no wonder except in my neighbour and her question; alas, do we have anyone to ask this to the people that have lowered me? They have tried to slander the religion of Allah. If the trials and afflictions were lifted from us, I would carry them to the very core of the truth. But, if it happens to be otherwise, “then do not grieve over the transgressing people.” (5:26) To you, from me, O brother from Bani Dudan.

“I have read in the book of Ali (a.s.) that the Messenger of Allah wrote (and got it signed) for the people of Ansar and Muhajirin and people related to them from Yathrib: ‘The neighbor is like one’s soul that cannot be harmed or made to sin. The respect for the neighbor is like the respect for one’s mother.’ This is the Hadith in brief.’”

“Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said, ‘Samrah ibn Jundab had a fruit bearing palm tree and his path way was through the inside section of the house of a man from al-Ansar. He would come and enter to go to his palm tree without permission. The man from al-Ansar said to him, ‘O Samrah, you continue to take us off guard in a condition that we do not like you to take us off guard. Please, when you come ask for permission. He said, ‘I do not need permission for the path that is the path to my palm tree.’ He (the Imam) said that the man from al-Ansar went to the Messenger of Allah (sw) complained before him and informed him of the condition. The Messenger of Allah (sw) sent someone to call Samrah, informed him that so and so complains and thinks that you pass by him and his family without permission so you must ask for permission when you want to go to your palm tree.’ He said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, why must I ask permission for the pathway of my palm tree?’ The Messenger of Allah (sw) said, ‘Leave that palm tree in exchange for a palm tree in such and such place.’ He said, ‘No, I do not want to exchange.’ He (the Messenger of Allah) said, ‘Exchange for two.’ He said, ‘No.’ He (the Messenger of Allah) went on up to offering ten palm trees and he refused to accept. He (the Messenger of Allah) said, ‘Exchange it for ten palm trees in so and so place.’ He refused. He (the Messenger of Allah) said, ‘Exchange it for a palm tree in paradise.’ He refused and said, ‘I do not want it.’ The Messenger of Allah (sw) then said, ‘You are a harmful man. Harming and causing to lead to harm is not lawful against a believing man.’ He (the Imam) said that the Messenger of Allah (sw) commanded to uproot that palm tree and threw it to him. The Messenger of Allah (sw) said to him, ‘Go plant it wherever you want.’”

“The noblest of you during the era of Ignorance are the noblest ones in the era of Islam.” Then Imam Baqir said: “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.”

“Once a man came to the Holy Prophet and complained against his neighbor. The Messenger of Allah said to him, ‘Bear patience.’ The man came the second time. The Holy Prophet said, ‘Bear patience.’ The man came the third time. The Holy Prophet said to him, ‘On Friday when people go to the Mosque take your belongings out and place them on the road so that all who go to the Mosque see them. If they asked you tell them your story. He did as he was told to do. His neighbor came and asked him to return his belongings home saying, ‘Allah will be against me in your favor if I will not stop doing what I would do before.’”

“Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said, ‘Samrah ibn Jundab had a fruit bearing palm tree in the garden of another man from al-Ansar whose house was at the door of the garden and he (Samrah) would pass by when going to his palm tree without permission. The man from al-Ansar spoke to him and asked him to ask for permission whenever he comes. Samrah refused to do so. When he refused the man from al-Ansar went to the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, complained before him and informed him of the condition. The Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, sent someone to call Samrah, informed him of the complaints of the man from al-Ansar and asked him to ask permission whenever going to his palm tree but he refused. When he refused, he (the Messenger of Allah) bargained with him and offered him a huge price but he still refused. He (the Messenger of Allah) then said, “In exchange for this you can have a fruit bearing palm trees in paradise”, but he refused to accept. The Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, then asked the man from al-Ansar to go, uproot that palm tree and throw it to him; harming and leading to harm is not lawful.’”

“The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘One who spends the night with his stomach full while his neighbor is hungry does not believe in me. Any (people of the town) who sleep at night with their stomachs full while among them are hungry people, to such people, on the Day of Judgment, Allah will not look with kindness.’”