إبراهيم بن هاشم

the messenger of Allāh صلى الله عليه وآله said: Allāh Mighty and Majestic says: discussion of knowledge between my slaves is among that which enlivens the dead hearts if it leads them (to submit) to my command.

I asked Al-Ridha (MGB) about the number of times the Allahu Akbars (God is Great) are said before the start of the prayer. He (MGB) replied, ‘It is seven times.’ I said, ‘It has been narrated that God’s Prophet (MGB) said it only once.’ The Imam replied, ‘God’s Prophet (MGB) said it loudly once and said it quietly the other six times.’”

Whoever engages in buying and selling should avoid the following five things. He should not do any business if he cannot do so. They are as follows: usury; swearing to something or someone; covering up the defects of his goods; praising the goods while selling them, and finding faults with goods while buying them.”

O Prophet of God! This is an insane epileptic and we have gathered around him.”The Prophet (MGB) said, “This man is not insane. He is ill.” Then the Prophet (MGB) said, “Do you want me to tell you who a real insane one is?”They said, “O Prophet of God! Yes.” The Prophet (MGB) said, “A true insane is one who walks with pride; looks at the people from the corners of his eyes; shakes his shoulders due to haughtiness; he wishes to go to Heaven although he commits sins; people are not secure from his wicked deeds; there is no hope that he will do a good deed. Such a person is insane. This poor fellow is just ill.”

I asked Al-Ridha (s) about the number of times the opening to the call to prayer (Allahu Akbar) must be said. He (s) replied, “It is seven times.” I said, “It has been narrated that God’s Prophet (s) said only one.” The Imam (s) replied, “God’s Prophet (s) said it loudly once and said it quietly the other six times.”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘Of the things that Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, revealed to Moses was this: “O Moses, thank Me the way I must be thanked.” Moses said, “O Lord, how can 1 thank You the way You must be thanked while there is no thanking that I may perform but that in it You grant me a (new) favor.” Allah said, “Now you have thanked Me, for realizing that it (the ability to thank) is also from Me.”’”

“Once I said to Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) ‘How do you consider the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, “. . . those who avoid major sins and indecent acts except al-Lamam (sins committed from time to time). . . .” (53:33) The Imam said, ‘It is the sin that one may commit then stops it, as Allah wills, and then commits it again.”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘Whoever comes to us seeking to learn Fiqh (laws of Shari’a) and the Holy Quran, allow him to come in. Whoever comes to us to make public what Allah has covered, you must move him away.’ A man from the people then said, ‘May Allah keep my soul in service for your cause, I have been involved in sin for a long time and I want to change to something else but I am not able to do so.’ The Imam said, ‘If you are true, Allah loves you. There is nothing to prevent Him from changing you to something else, it is only as such so that you can be fearing Him.’”

“Once Amir al-Mu’minin, Ali ibn abu Talib (a.s.) climbed the Minbar (pulpit) in al-Kufah, praised Allah and spoke of His glory and then said, ‘O people sins are of three kinds’ and he remained quiet. Habbah al-‘Arani, said, ‘O Amir al-Mu’minin, you just said, “Sins are of three kinds, and then remained silent.’ The Imam said, ‘Yes, I mentioned them and wanted to explain and inteipret them but a breathing problem prevented me from speaking. Yes, sins are of three kinds: A sin that is forgiven, a sin that is not forgiven and a sin for whose owner we have hopes and fears.’ The man said, ‘O Amir al-Mu’minin, explain them for us.’ “The Imam said, ‘Yes, the sin that is forgiven is one for which Allah has punished the sinner in this world and He is by far much Forbearing and Honorable to punish His servant twice. “The sin that is not forgiven is people’s injustice to each other (in the matters of property and so forth). When Allah, the Most Blessed, the Most High, will manifest himself to His creatures, He will swear by His Ownself saying, ‘By My Majesty and Glory that the injustice of the unjust cannot bypass Me, even though it is in the form of a slap for a slap, a nibbing for a slap, or blow by those having horns to those without horns.’ He will retaliate for His servants from the others until no one will be left without receiving justice and thereafter they will be sent for reckoning. “The third kind of sin is the sin that Allah has covered for His servants and has granted them repentance. He lives in fear because of his sin with hopes in his Lord. We toward him are just as he is to himself. We wish he will be granted mercy and fear for his suffering punishment.’”

“I heard Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) saying, ‘A believer continues facing anxiety and sadness in this world until he leaves it with no sins in him.’”

“I heard abu Ja’far (a.s.) saying ‘How excellent are good deeds after evil deeds and how disgraceful are evil deeds after good deeds!”’

“I heard abu Ja‘far (a.s.), say, ‘Providing Benevolent Assistance repels wicked encounters.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has narrated this Hadith. ‘The Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has said, ‘Blessings cut through obstacles faster than a knife’s cutting through the hump of a camel or a flood’s moving toward its destination, to reach the house from which Benevolent Assistance is provided.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has said, ‘A recipient of Benevolent Assistance should compensate (the provider) for it. If he cannot do so, he should praise him at least; otherwise, he has refused to appreciate a bounty.’”

“Abu al-Hassan Musa (a.s.), has said, ‘A generous person who possesses good moral discipline is under Allah’s protection and Allah does not leave such a person alone until He admits him to Paradise. Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, has never sent a prophet or an executor of the will of the prophets who is not generous. All the people of good deeds were generous. My father continued to encourage me to be generous until he passed away. He said, ‘One who pays zakat completely and pays it to properly deserving persons is not questioned wherefrom he has earned his wealth.’”

To such people Allah gives a tenfold reward or up to one hundred and even more.’ ‘. . . We make it easy for his comfort . . .’ the Imam said, ‘He does not do anything but that Allah makes it easy for him to achieve.’ ‘. . . As far the one who is stingy and rich . . .’ the Imam said, ‘He is stingy in what Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, has granted him.’ ‘. . . and rejects the good words (receiving rewards from Allah) . . . ’ the Imam said, ‘It is Allah’s promise of tenfold reward for giving charity up to one hundred thousand or even more.’ ‘. . . We will soon make it difficult for him . . .’ the Imam said, ‘Whatever evil things he wants is made easy for him.’ ‘. . . His wealth does not help him when he falls . . .’ (92:4-11), the Imam said, ‘This is not a fall into a well, from the top of a mountain, or from a wall. It is a fall into hellfire.””

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that if it becomes difficult for one of you, you should inform your brother (in belief) while you are unable to help yourself.”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has said, ‘The best charity is that which is out of surplus in (one’s) hands.’”

Such a time is when he is unable to go out for help due to his illness.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Having good moral behavior and serving food is part of belief.’”