داود بن كثير الرقي

“Certain persons of al-Khawarij asked me about this verse of al-Quran: ‘Of two sheep and of two goats, ask which one is made unlawful? (Is it) male or female? (6:142) (What is the meaning of) camels two and of cows two?’ (6:143) ‘What Allah has made lawful and what has He made unlawful?’ I did not have any answer. I went to see abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), when I was there for al- Hajj. I informed him (the Imam) of the story and he (the Imam) said, ‘Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, for sacrifice in Mina’, has made domesticated sheep and goats lawful. He has made the wild ones unlawful, and His words, ‘Of camels two and of cows two’, means that Allah, most Blessed, most High, has made al-Trab camels lawful for offering as sacrifice and has made unlawful what is al- Bukhatiy. He has made domesticated cows lawful for offering as sacrifice and the wild ones unlawful.’ I returned to the man and informed him of the answer. He said, ‘This is something which camel has carried on its back from al-Hijaz.’”

I heard Abā ‘Abdillāh (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)) say: Allāh has not created any creation greater in number than the angels. Every evening, seventy thousand angels descend from the heavens. They perform Ťawāf around Bayt Al-Ḥarām (Ka’bah) until dawn, after which they proceed to the grave of the Prophet (s.a.a.w.) and say Salām to him. Then they go to the grave of the Commander of the Believers (a.s.) to say Salām to him, after which they go to the grave of Ḥusain (a.s.) and say Salām to him; and then they ascend back to the heavens before sunrise. Then seventy thousand angels from among the angels of the day descend from the heavens. They (too) perform Ťawāf around Bayt Al-Ḥarām (Ka’bah) until sunset, after which they proceed to the grave of the Messenger of Allāh (s.a.a.w.) and say Salām to him. Then they go to the grave of the Commander of the Believers (a.s.) to say Salām to him, after which they go to the grave of Ḥusain (a.s.) and say Salām to him; and then they ascend back to the heavens before nightfall.

Moderation is what God the Honorable, the Exalted loves. Wastefulness is despised by Him even if it is throwing away a date seed that can be used, or throwing away the leftover liquid from your drink.”

Abu Abdullah (asws) has said: ‘There are no creatures more numerous than the Angels. They descend from the sky every night, seventy thousand Angels, so they circumambulate the Sacred House during the night, and similarly during each day’.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘If one buys a stumper, he has the benefit of riding and its sustenance is with Allah.’”

"Breaking your fast at your brother's home is better than fasting seventy or even ninety times."

he said: "When you have completed your rituals, then return, for it will make you more eager to come back."

“I once traveled with abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), to Yanbu‘. When he (the Imam) came out, I saw him wearing a red al-Khuff (half-boot). I then said, ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, what kind of shoe is this red shoe which I see you wearing?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is al- Khuff (half-boot) which I have found for traveling and it is good in clay (mud) and rain and more durable.’ I then asked, ‘Can I have such footgear?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘During a journey yes, you can have it, but not when you are at home; and do not exchange a black one for anything else.’” (Apparently it applies to al-Khuff (half-boot) only).

“Do not miss saying in the morning and in the evening three times this, ‘O Lord, place me in Your strong coat of arms in which You place whomever You will’; my father would say that this is of the prayer that is treasured.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that moderation is a matter that Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, loves, and extravagance is a thing that Allah hates. It applies even to one’s throwing the stone inside the piece of a date; it can be useful for something, and to throwing the leftover of what you drink.’”

“Allah’s holding people accountable remains unjustified without the Imam who would teach people about Him.”

he asked Imam abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) about the meaning of the words of Allah in the following verse. “The signs and warnings are of no avail to the disbelieving people.” (10:101) The Imams (a.s.) said, “Signs are the Imams (a.s.) and warnings are the prophets (s.a.).”

“About the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, ‘For one who fears of the position of his Lord there are two gardens. ’(55:46) The Imam said, ‘One who knows that Allah sees him, hears what he says and knows what he does, good or evil, and it keeps him off wicked deeds, such person is the one who fears the position of his Lord and stops his soul from following his (negative) desires.’”

I said to Abu Ibrahim (Imam Kadhim): May I be your ransom, I have grown old. So take my hand and save me from Hell-fire. Who is our leader after you? Imam (a.s) pointed to his son, Abul Hasan (Imam Ridha) and said: This is your leader after me.

One of the Kharijites asked me about the verse from the Book of Allah (swt), the Exalted, "Eight pairs: of sheep two, and of goats two... and of camels two, and of oxen two" (Surah Al-An‘am: 143–144). He asked: "What has Allah (swt) permitted from these, and what has He forbidden?" I did not have an answer at that time, so I went to Abu Abdullah (as) while I was on pilgrimage and informed him of the matter. Imam (as) said: "Indeed, Allah (swt), the Blessed and Exalted, has permitted in the sacrifice at Mina the domesticated sheep and goats, and He has forbidden the wild (mountainous) species of them. As for His saying, 'And of camels two, and of oxen two,' Allah (swt), the Blessed and Exalted, has permitted the Arabian camels for sacrifice at Mina, but He has forbidden the imported Bactrian camels. He has permitted domesticated cattle to be sacrificed, but He has forbidden the wild species of them." So I returned to the man and informed him of this response, to which he replied: "This is something carried by the camels from the Hijaz."

“I would listen to Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) praying and what he insisted upon most when pleading before Allah was “throught right and virtue” of the five Holy personalities: the Messenger of Allah, Amir al-Mu’minin, Ali ibn abu Talib, Fatimah al-Zahra, al-Hassan and al-Husayn, recipients of divine supreme covenant. (For example saying, ‘O Lord, throught Muhammad and so and so grant me this and that.’)

“I once said to abu ’Abd Allah (a.s.). ‘During a journey if I cannot find water when it is time of Salah (prayer); but it is said that water is nearby. Must I then search in the right and left directions when it is time for Salah (prayer)?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Do not search for water, instead take Tayammum; I fear you may remain behind your companions and you may get lost or be eaten by the beasts.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who owes one badanah as obligatory ransom. He (the Imam) said, ‘If he cannot find one badanah, then it is seven sheep; and if he cannot afford then he must fast for eighteen days.’”

Abi Ibrahim - that is Musa Al-Kadhim (s), “May my father be your ransom! I have become old. I am afraid that something might happen to me, and I may not be able to visit you anymore. Can you please inform me about the Imam after you?” Then the Imam (s) said, “My son, Ali.”

“One of the Kharajites asked me about the meaning of the following verse from the Honorable the Exalted God’s Book, ‘(Take) eight (head of cattle) in (four) pairs: of sheep a pair, and of goats a pair; say, hath He forbidden the two males, or the two females, or (the young) which the wombs of the two females enclose? Tell me with knowledge if ye are truthful: Of camels a pair, and oxen a pair;”His question was, ‘Which of these has God made lawful and which of them are forbidden.’ I did not know the answer to his question. Therefore, I went to see Aba Abdullah as-Sadiq (MGB) during my Hajj pilgrimage trip and asked him about it. The Imam (MGB) said, ‘The Blessed the Sublime God has allowed the offering of an oxen or a domestic sheep at Mina, but has forbidden their offering of a wild cow or sheep. And regarding camels and cows, the Sublime God has allowed the offering of Arab camels at Mina but has forbidden the offering of wild camels. God has allowed the offering of a domesticated cow but He has forbidden the offering of a wild cow.’I delivered this reply to the man who had asked about it from me upon my return. He said, ‘You have learned this from Hijaz .’