علي بن أبي عثمان

8 – al-Ḥasan b. ʿAlī b. Abī ʿUthmān, Abū Muḥammad, called al-Sajjāda, al-Qummī. Weak. In his madhhab there is irtifāʿ.

“The Imam (a.s.) knows the succeeding Imam and delivers his will to him.”

I asked Abu’l-Hasan al-Rida, peace be upon him, about the noun: What is it? He said: It is an attribute to that which is attributed.

Abū ‘Abdillāh (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)) said: The space between the grave of Ḥusain (a.s.) and the heavens is (always) filled with angels who are descending and ascending (back and forth from the Ziyārah).

Banquets should only be served in five situations: wedding parties, birth of babies, circumcision, purchase of houses, and returning home from Mecca (after performing the Hajj).”

There are four acts which corrupt the heart and develop hypocrisy as water helps a tree develop: listening to vain or obscene talk; going to the door of the king’s palace, and going hunting.”

Whenever Ḥusain (a.s.) was mentioned in front of Abī ‘Abdillāh (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)) during the day, he would not be seen smiling until nightfall. Imam (a.s.) used to say, “Ḥusain (a.s.) is the tear of every believer!”

“There are four characteristics which do not belong to a believer: he is not insane; he doesn’t go around begging at the people’s doors; he is not born of adultery and he is not gay.”

I went to Abī ‘Abdillāh (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)) and asked, “May I sacrifice myself for you! Should I go to (the Ziyārah of) the grave of Ḥusain (a.s.)?” Imam (a.s.) replied: O Abā Sa’īd! Yes! Go to (the Ziyārah of) the grave of the son of the Messenger of Allāh (s.a.a.w.), the most blessed of the blessed ones, the most purified of the purified ones, and the most pious of the pious ones; for if you go to his Ziyārah, twenty-two ‘Umrah will be registered for you.

Aba Abdullah as-Sadiq (MGB) said, “The Honorable the Exalted God has created 12,000 worlds each of which is more extensive than the seven heavens and the seven Earths. None of these worlds know that God the Honorable the Exalted has any other worlds except their own world. However, I am a proof for all of them.”

We heard Abā ‘Abdillāh (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)) say: When Ḥusain ibn ‘Ali (a.s.) died, everything Allāh has created cried over him except three things (places): Basra, Damascus, and the family of ‘Uthmān.

Indeed, Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, chose from the lands, four, and so He, Exalted and Glorious is He, said: «And by the Fig, Olive, the Mountain of Seeneen and this Safe Land.» (95:1-3) The Fig is Medina, the Olive is Jerusalem, the Mountain of Seeneen is Kufa, and the Safe Land is Mecca.

A guest deserves to be served for one, two or three days at the most. Thereafter, servicing a guest is a form of charity by the host.” He (MGB) then added, “Do not stay in your brother’s home so long as to make him commit a sin.” Then he (MGB) was asked, “How could that be?” The Prophet (MGB) said, “If you stay there so long that he no longer has anything left to spend for you.”

The following seven people spoil their deeds.1- A wise highly knowledgeable man who doesn’t teach his knowledge to the people and is unknown to the extent that nobody mentions his name2- A wise man who entrusts his wealth to wicked liars who would not return it to him3- Those who trust mischievous and disloyal people4- Noble people who are not compassionate to others5- Mothers who do not protect the secrets of their offspring and divulge them6- Those who rush to blame their companions and brethren7- Those who continually quarrel with their colleagues and brethren.”

“Once Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) said, ‘O ‘Abd al-‘Aziz, belief is of ten stages like the steps of a ladder. To climb, one uses it one step after the other one by one. One who possesses two degrees of belief should never say to one who possesses only one degree that he does not have enough belief and so on up to the tenth degree or stage. One who is higher should not throw back the one below because the one above you may also fall. If you see one below, you should help him climb up higher gently and do not burden him with what he cannot lift up; he may break down and if one breaks down a believer, he will be held responsible for compensation to him.’”

he heard Abū ʿAbd Allāh (ʿas) saying, "An arrogant person should not hope for a praiseworthy reputation, nor a swindler for many friends. An ill-mannered person should not hope for nobility, nor should a miser hope that his kin maintain their relations with him. One who mocks people should not hope for true friendship; neither should one of little understanding hope to be in a position he will be allowed to judge. A gossip should not hope for peace, nor a covetous person hope for comfort in his heart. One who punishes minor transgressions should not hope for prominence, nor should an inexperienced individual who is overconfident in their view hope to be in power."

“Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (MGB) told me, ‘O Abdul Aziz! There are ten ranks of belief just like the steps of a ladder which one must climb up one after the other. One who has attained two of these ranks should not say to the one who has only attained the first rank, ‘You do not have faith.’ The same thing holds true up until the tenthrank. You should not consider anyone who has attained a rank lower than yourself to lack faith, so that those who have attained a higher rank than you have, do not consider you to lack faith. When you see someone who is in a lower rank than you are, kindly assist him up to your rank. Do not force upon him what he cannot tolerate, since you may hurt him this way. One who hurts a believer should help him get unhurt. Miqdad was in the eighth rank. Abuzar was in the ninth rank and Salman had attained the tenth rank of faith.’”

“A wise man pursued another wise man for seven-hundred Farsakhs for seven pieces of advice. Once he met him he asked, ‘O Sir! Please tell me what is higher than the sky; what is wider than the Earth; what is deeper than the sea; what is harder than the rocks; what is hotter than fire; what is colder than bitter cold; and what is heavier than the mountains?’ The wise man replied, ‘Truth is higher than the skies; justice is wider than the Earth; self-contentment is deeper than the sea; an atheist’s heart is harder than rocks; the greed of a miser is hotter than the fire; disappointment for obtaining God’s Mercy is colder than bitter cold; and finally accusing an innocent person is heavier than the mountains.’”

I asked Abu al-Hasan al-Rid (AS), “Did Allah know Himself before He created the creation?” He (AS) replied, “Of course.” I asked, “Did He see Himself, and hear Himself?” He said: Allah was not required to do so because He did not ask Himself anything or demand anything from Himself. He is Himself, and His Self is He. His Power was effective and He did not need to call Himself. However, He chose names for Himself so that He could be called upon, because unless He is called upon by His Name, there is no way for Him to be known. Therefore, the first name He chose for Himself was the Most High, the Most Great [al-`Ali al-`Azim], because He is Higher than all things. Hence, His meaning is Allah, and His Name is the Most High, the Most Great. That is among His first names, because He is High, Higher than Everything.

I asked Abul Hassan Al-Ridha (s): ‘Did God know Himself before He created the Creation?’ The Imam (s) replied, ‘Yes.’ I said, ‘Did He see and hear Himself?’ The Imam (s) said, ‘He had no need for that, for He neither required anything of Himself nor soughtanything from Himself. He was Himself and Himself was He. His Power was All-Pervasive. Therefore, He has no need to name Himself. However, He has chosen Names for Himself for others to call Him by, for if He were not called by His Name, He would not have been known. The first that He chose for Himself was, ‘…He is the Highest, the Supreme (in glory).’ (i.e. God is Al ‘ali Al ’azim in Arabic) since He is Exalted above all things. His Meaning is Allah and His Name is Al ’Ali Al ’Azim since He is Exalted above everything.’”