داود بن النعمان

1. Imam Muhammad Baqir (a.s.) says, “After you pray the Asr prayers on Friday recite as follows: Allaahumma s’alli a’laa muh’ammadinw wa aali muh’ammadin alaa aus’iyaa-il mursaleena bi-afz”ali s’alawaatika wa baarik wa baarika a’laihim bi-afz”ali barakaatika was salaamu a’laihim wa a’laa arwaah’ihim wa ajsaamidihim wa rah’matullaahi wa barakaatuh. For one who recites this after Asr, Allah writes for him a hundred thousand rewards, wipes out a hundred thousand sins. Fulfills a hundred thousand wishes of him and increases his position by a hundred thousand levels.”

Verily, a man has an amplitude [of freedom] until forty years; but when he reaches forty, God the Almighty and Glorious, reveals to His angels, ‘Verily, I have made My servant come of age, so now be strict and severe with him and record and write down his every action, whether it is a minor one or a major one, and whether his works are abundant or sparse.’”He added, “Abu Ja’far al-Baqir (MGB) said, ‘When a person reaches forty years of age he is told to watch his actions since he no longer has any excuses. Those who are forty years old do not deserve to bring excuses like those who are only twenty-years old. What seeks either of them is the same thing . It is not sleep. Therefore, talk less and work hard due to the fear of death which is approaching.”

“Once the Messenger of Allah addressed the people and asked, ‘Should I tell you about the wicked ones among you?’ They said, ‘Yes, O Messenger of Allah, please do so.’ The Messenger of Allah said, ‘They are those of you who refuse to make any gifts (to anyone), beat up their slaves and supplies just his own self. ’ They thought that Allah has not created any creature most wicked than such person. “Then the Messenger of Allah said, ‘Should I tell who is most wicked than he?’ They said, ‘Yes, O Messenger of Allah, please do so.’ The Messenger of Allah said, ‘Most wicked than he is one from whom no good can be expected and from whose evil people do not feel safe.’ They thought that Allah has not created anyone most wicked than he. “The Messenger of Allah then said, ‘Should I tell who is most wicked than he?’ They said, ‘Yes, O Messenger of Allah, please do so.’ The Messenger of Allah said, ‘He is a foulmouthed, profane person. When believers are mentioned before him, he abuses them and, when he is mentioned before the believers, they condemn him.’”

"I have experienced [having] both light-skinned and dark-skinned maidservants, and there was a difference between them." (Allama al-Majlisi says: It means both of them have a preference)

"The Messenger of Allah (swt), peace and blessings be upon him and his family, had four of the great angels witness his will to Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (as), peace be upon him: Jibril, Mika'il, Israfil, and another whose name I do not remember."

“I heard abu al-Hassan (a.s.), say, ‘It is what Allah wills, not what people will.’ When he approached the grave, he kept to a side and sat down. When the deceased was placed in the grave, he stood up and filled three handfuls of soil in the grave, one at a time.”

Abu Ja`far al-Baqir (as) said: When you pray `Asr on Friday, then say: “O Allah! Bless Muhammad and the Family of Muhammad, the deputies whom Allah is pleased with, with the best of Your blessings. Send benedictions to them with the best of Your benedictions. Peace be with them, their spirits, their bodies, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings (Allahumma salli `ala Muhammadin wa aali Muhammad al-awsiya al-murdiyyin bi afdal salawatik, wa baarik `alayhum bi afdal barakatik, wassalaam `alayhum wa `ala arwahuhum wa ajsaduhum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh).” Whoever says this after `Asr, Allah records one hundred thousand good deeds for him, erases one hundred thousand sins from him, fulfills one hundred thousand needs for him, and raises him by one hundred thousand degrees.

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who kisses a slave-girl or the woman. He (the Imam) said, ‘For an old man like you and I, it is not harmful but for a lustful young man it is negative and not safe; kissing is one of the two lustful activities (sexual intercourse and kissing).’ I (the narrator) then asked, ‘What do you say about a person like me who plays with his slave-girl?’ He (the Imam) asked, ‘Are you lustful, O abu Hazim, how is your desire for food?’ I replied, ‘If I am full it is harmful and if I am hungry then it makes me weak.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘So am I.’ He (the Imam) asked, ‘How are you and women?’ I said, ‘There is nothing.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘O abu Hazim, if I desire something to happen from me I make it happen.’”

“I heard abu Ja‘far say, (a.s.) when he saw people in Makka and what they were doing, “Activities like those in the days of ignorance. By Allah, they are not commanded to do as suCh What they are commanded to do is to complete their Hajj, relieve themselves of the obligations of vows and visit us to inform us of their support and express their help before us.”

“Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), once said, ‘Allow me to demonstrate before you how the Messenger of Allah would take Wudu’. He (the Imam) then with some water in the palm of his right hand washed his face. He (the Imam) then with some water in the palm of his left hand washed his right hand. He (the Imam) then with some water in the palm of his right hand washed his left hand. He (the Imam) then with whatever water left in his hands wiped his head and feet.”

“I once heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), say, ‘It is not proper to take soil from around al- Ka‘bah, and if one does so he must return it back.’”

“I once asked abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), about departure and it was the night of departure. We like to be quick. What time should we depart? He (the Imam) said, ’You must not depart on the second day before Zawal (declining of the sun toward the west at noontime), it was the night of departure. On the third day when the sun is bright white, you can depart with the blessing of Allah. Allah, most glorious is whose praise says, “Those who depart quicker in two days have not sinned and those who depart later have not sinned.” (2:203) If He had remained quiet everyone would depart quickly but He has said, “Those who delay have not sinned.”’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about al-‘Aqiq if it was designated by the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, or that people have done something about it. He (the Imam) said, ‘The Messenger of Allah designated Dhu al-Hulayfah for the people of al-Madinah, for the people of al-Maghrib he (the Messenger of Allah) designated al-Juhfah and this is written with us as Mahya‘ah. For the people of Yemen, he (the Messenger of Allah) designated Yalamlam; Qarn al-Manazil is for people of Ta’if and for the people of Najd is al-‘Aqiq and also for those who come from Najd.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘It is not harmful if a man applies oil before or after taking Ghusl (bath) for Ihram.’ He (the Imam) disliked only thick oil that stays.”

“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, ‘Allah, the Most Blessed the Most High, loves something to be for His own self and He hates something to be for His creatures. He hates His creatures begging for financial help from each other, but He loves their asking Him for help. There is nothing more beloved to Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, than being asked for help; therefore, you must not feel shy to ask Allah for favors from His generosity, even if it is as insignificant as a sandal’s strap that passes between the toes of a wearer.’”

22-23 Muhammad ibn al-Hassan - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Ahmad ibn Idris quoted Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Yahya, on the authority of Muhammad ibn al-Sindy, on the authority of Ali ibn al-Hikam, on the authority of Davood ibn al-Nue’man, on the authority of Sayf al-TAmmar, on the authority of Abi Basir that Aba Abdullah as-Sadiq (MGB) said, When a servant reaches the age of thirty-three, he has reached perfect maturity. When he reaches the age of forty years, he has attained his ultimate progress. Hence as he enters forty‑one his powers are on decline, and it is befitting for one at fifty to consider himself like someone in his death throes.”

"He who loves us with his heart, and helps us with his hands and tongue, will be with us (in Paradise) at the same lodging. And he who loves us with his heart and helps us with his tongue will be at a lower level. And he who loves us with his heart, but does not put his hand and tongue to use for us, he will be in Paradise." (i.e. in an ordinary station).

“Whoever discriminates or supports discrimination, he has taken off the collar of belief from his neck.”

On the Day of Resurrection, two believing servants will be brought for judgment. Both are from the people of Paradise, but one was poor in this world, and the other was rich in this world. So, the poor one will say: “O Lord! Why was I brought? By Your glory, You surely know that You did not give me authority with which I could have been just or unjust, nor did you grant me wealth with which I could have given rightly or withheld it. My sustenance was not but enough to subsist poorly.” So, Allah will say: “You have spoken the truth, My servant, let him go enter Paradise.” So, the other will remain [for long], and he will sweat so much [over that time] that if forty camels would drink from it, it would suffice them. Then, he will enter Paradise. So, the poor one will say to him: “What kept you?” So, he said: “The length of the judgment. One thing came up after another, which were forgiven of me. Then, I would be asked about another thing until Allah would encompass me in His mercy. He made me join the repentant. So, who are you?” So, he will say: “I am the poor one who was with you earlier.” So, he will say: “Bliss has changed you.”

Al-Sadiq Ja`far b. Muhammad (as) said: Surely, the servant has an expanse of time between him and forty years of age. Once he reaches forty years of age, Allah reveals to His two angels: “I have allowed My servant to live a life, so coarsen, stiffen, restrain for him; and record the paucity and the abundance of his deeds, and his minor and major sins.