خلف بن حماد بن ناشر بن المسيب

13. Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.) says, “Recite Tahleel (Laa ilaaha illallaah) and takbeer (Allaahu Akbar) often because Allah likes nothing more than Takbeer and Tahleel.”

“A person with Divine authority is before the people, with the people and after the people.”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Any wealthy person owning gold and silver who refuses to pay zakat, Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, on the Day of Judgment will keep him in captivity in a flat land. He (Allah) will send a bald serpent who will chase him and he will flee until he finds it impossible to escape. He (the person) will then allow the serpent to get his hand and it will bite it like a turnip. It will then curl around his neck. This is referred to in the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, “. . . whatever they are avaricious about will be tied to their necks on the Day of Judgment . . .” (3:180) Every owner of camels, sheep or cows who refuses to pay zakat will be held in Allah’s captivity on the Day of Judgment, in a flat land where every hooved-animal will walk on him and every sharp-toothed animal will bite him. Every owner of palm trees, vineyards or plantation who refuses to pay zakat will be made by Allah to have that land up to seven levels tied around his neck up to the Day of Judgment.’”

“Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said, ‘I like performing Hajj more than setting free a slave, another slave and another slave . . .’ He went on to say up to ten slaves, and then up to seventy slaves. He then said, ‘If I support a Muslim family, satisfy their hunger, provide them clothes, and protect their dignity among people, it is more beloved to me than performing a Hajj and a Hajj and a Hajj . . .’ He went on to say up to seventy Hajj.”

“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, ‘I do not perform Salat (prayer) on the dead body of one drowned in wine (a wine drinker).”’

“You should not stand to pray behind three people: an unfamiliar person; someone who ascribes certain boastful attributes to the Divine Leaders, even if he expresses the same beliefs as you do; and one who is corrupt even if he is not boastful about the Divine Leaders.”

Our followers can be divided into three groups. There are those who are our true friends. They are from us. There are those to whom we lend beauty, and lend beauty to us. And there are those who attach themselves to us to attain worldly gains. Whoever tries to attain worldly gains by attaching himself to us will get poor.”

“Aba Abdullah as-Sadiq (MGB) passed by a group of people who were having blood-letting done for them. He (MGB) told them ‘What would have happened if you had postponed it until Sunday night as that would be more effective in alleviating one’s pains.’”

“Musa ibn Ja’far (s) told me - without me having said anything to him, ‘This is my most knowledgeable child. I have placed my nickname on him.’ He pointed to Al-Ridha (s) with his hand.”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Applying eye powder grows hairs, sharpens eyesight and helps to perform longer Sujud (prostrations).”’

The Messenger of Allah (s) said: O `Ali! You are my brother, my inheritor, my deputy, and my vicegerent (khalifa) among my family and my Nation, in my lifetime and after my death. Love for you is love for me, and hatred for you is hatred for me. O `Ali! You and I are the two fathers of this Nation. O `Ali! I, yourself, and the Imams from your descendants are masters in this life and kings in the Hereafter. He who recognizes us has recognized Allah, and he who denies us has denied Allah.

There is a result for everything. The result of being kind is to speed up turning on the light.”

“I heard abu Ja’far (a.s.), say, ’Everything has a fruit. The fruit of Benevolent Assistance is its quick release.”’

“I once was with abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), that small bowls were brought and he (the Imam) pointed with his hand toward one of them saying, ‘This is Shiraz al-’Utun which we have extracted for a patient with us. Whoever wants to eat he can eat and whoever does not want can leave it.’”

“I once sent (a message) to abu al-Hassan (a.s.), and asked, ‘How much is the minimum duration of time in al-Mut‘ah (advantageous marriage) and if it is permissible to set the time for only one time going to bed. He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, it is permissible.’”

“About the case of a man’s 7/a’ (swearing), abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘He either expiates or divorces or is beheaded.’”

Abu Abdillah, peace be upon him, said: There is none who possesses money, be it gold or silver, who prevents (the giving of) the alms tax of his money, except that Allah, Exalted and Glorious is He, will constrain him on the Day of Resurrection on a ground that is qarqar and set upon him a balded snake that will seek (to seize) him and which he will move away from. When he sees that he will not be rid of it, he will allow his hand to him, and it will gnaw it like how a radish is gnawed, and it will then become a necklace on his neck. That is the saying of Him, Exalted and Glorious is He: «Their necks will be encircled by that which they were stingy with on the Day of Resurrection.» (3:180) Moreover, there is none who possesses property, be it camels, cows or sheep, who prevents (the giving of) the alms tax of his property, except that Allah, Exalted and Glorious is He, will constrain him on the Day of Resurrection on a ground that is qarqar and he will be stepped upon by everything with a hoof, with its hoof, and it will be snapped by everything that has canine tooth. Moreover, there is none who possesses property, be it palm, grape or plants, who prevents (the giving of) its alms tax, except that Allah will encircle his neck with the noose of his land until seven lands until the Day of Resurrection.

Zaynab, the squint-eyed perfume lady, came to the wives of the Messenger of Allah (SA) and his daughters. The Messenger of Allah (SA) entered when she was with them. So he (SA) said to her, “When you visit us our houses are filled with perfume.” Hence, she replied, “Your house is the most pleasant due to your own scent, O Messenger of Allah.” He (SA) said: “When you sell, then be good. However, do not engage in deceptive marketing for that is not a good practice for ensuring wealth.” She responded, “I did no come with something to sell. Verily, I came to ask you about ht Greatness of Allah.” Thus, he (SA) said: “Glory be to Allah! Let me share His Greatness with you.” The reporter says: then he (SA) continued, Verily, the planet earth and everything it contains is like a ring in the vastness of the desert to the one which is below it. The earth and the one below it, and everything they contain, are like a ring in the vastness of the desert to the one that is below them. This how they are until it reaches the seventh one. Then he recited this verse: Allah is He who created seven heavens, and the Earth the like of them. The seven heavens and what they contain are on the back of a rooster like a ring in the open desert. The rooster has two wings; one in the East and the other in the West, and its feet are on the borderline. The seven heavens, the rooster, and whatever they contain, are on a rock like a ring in the open desert. The seven heavens, the rooster, the rock and whatever is in them, are on the back of a fish like a ring in the open desert. The seven heavens, the rooster, the rock, and the fish are in a dark ocean like a ring in the vast desert. The seven heavens, the rooster, the rock, the fish, and the dark ocean are in the air like a ring in the open desert. The seven heave ns, the rooster, the rock, the fish, the dark ocean, and the air are beneath the ground like a ring in the open desert. Then he (SA) recited this verse: His is what is in the heavens and what is in the earth, and what is between them two, and what is beneath the ground. Then the tradition stopped. The seven heavens, the rooster, the rock, the fish, the dark ocean, the air, the ground, and whatever is in them are in heaven like a ring in the open desert. All of these things, the heaven of this world, and whatever is in them, are like a ring in the open desert. All of these things and the two heavens are like a ring in the open desert compared to the third heaven. The third heaven and whatever is in it is like a ring in the open desert compared to the fourth heaven, and so on until the seventh heaven. These seven heavens and whatever is in them are like a ring in the open desert compared to the ocean which covers the earth. The seven heavens, and the ocean which covers the earth, are like a ring in the open desert compared to the mountain. Then he (AS) read this verse: And He sends down from heavens (clouds like) mountains laden with hail. These seven heavens, the covered ocean and the mountain are like a ring in the open desert compared to the veils of light. There are seventy thousand of these blinding veils light. The seven heavens, the covered oceans, the mountains, and the veils are like a ring in the open-spaced desert in comparison to the air, in which the hearts are fervent. Then he (AS) read this verse His Throne extends over the heavens and the earth, and the preservation of them both tires Him not, and He is the Most High, the Great. The seven heavens, the covered oceans, the mountains, the veils, the air, and the Throne are like a ring in the open desert compared to the Empyrean. Then he (AS) read this verse: The Most Compassionate Allah is Firm on the Empyrean. The angels cannot carry it except with the statement “there is no god but Allah” and “there is no power and no strength save in Allah.”

“The Almighty Allah keeps seventy calamities away from one who gives Sadaqah in the month of Ramadan.”

“About the case of a man, who borrows one hundred dinars and leaves as al-Rahn (security deposit) jewelries worth one hundred dinars, then comes to al-Rahn (security deposit) holder and asks him to lend him the gold which he has with him. Al-Rahn (security deposit) holder lends it to him and it is destroyed; if he owes anything to the man who has left al-Rahn (security deposit) with him. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is on the one who left al-Rahn (security deposit) because he is the one who destroyed it and al-Rahn (security deposit) holder does not owe anything, not even a grain.’”