Imam Ja’afer Al-Sadiq (a.s)’s supplications

Imam Ja’afer Al-Sadiq (a.s)’s supplications

One day. Imam Ja’afer Al-Sadiq (a.s) was eating dates at his home in Kufa when one of his companions, Bashar ben al-Kari, approached him. After exchanging greetings, Imam (a.s) invited Bashar to share the dates but Bashar refused Imam (a.s)’s offer.
Surprised, Imam Al-Sadiq (a.s) said to him: By my right over you, sit and eat.
As Bashar ate. Imam (a.s) noticed that he looked very sad and asked him the reason for this.
Bashar replied: While coming, I saw something that made feel sad. I saw the Sultan’s soldiers bearing a woman on her head as they dragged her to prison. She was crying out, ‘By Allah and His Prophet, please help me!’ But no one dared to do so.
Imam Al-Sadiq (a.s) asked Bashar why the woman was treated in that manner and he explained, “The woman tripped on a stone and said ‘May Allah (S.W.T) curse your oppressors! O’ Fatima.’ When the soldiers heard her, they began to hit her and then arrested her.
When he heard this, Imam Al-Sadiq (a.s) stopped eating and wept so bitterly that his beaid became wet with tears. He turned to Bashar and said, “O” Bashar. let us go to Masjid Al-Sahla to pray to Allah (S.W.T) for the freedom of this woman.
While they went to the mosque, Imam (a.s) ordered some of his companions to keep watch at the Sultan’s gate and bring any news of the woman.
When they reached Masjid Al-Sahla. Imam Jaafer Al-Sadiq (a.s) and Bashar offered two rakaats for the sake of Allah (S.W.T).
After they had completed their prayers, Imam (a.s) raised his hands in du’a to Allah (S.W.T) saying:
“O’ Listener of supplications, O Lord, O’ Master, O’ Helper, I ask You by every name You have taught us and by those you have kept hidden, to send Your blessings upon Muhammad (s.a.w.w) and his pure progeny to free this woman, O1 Lord,..” After finishing his supplication. Imam (a.s) said to Bashar: Let us go, for the woman has been freed!
When they arrived home, one of his companions, who had been sent to keep watch, had come back with the good news that the Sultan had set the woman free!
He had also offered her 200 dirhams and although she was very poor and needed money, she had refused to take it. Imam (a.s) was very pleased to hear this and he gave Bashar some money to take to the woman.
Bashar went to the woman’s house with the money and after giving it to her, he told her of the Imam (a.s)’s tears and du’a for her freedom. The woman took the money and cried, “Peace be upon you, O’ my Master and Lord, O’ son of the Holy Prophet.”
She turned to Bashar and said, “Tell the Imam (a.s) to pray for the followers of Ahlul-Bayt (a.s). He is our Imam and we do not know anyone else, who would pray and supplicate to Allah (S.W.T) for us. We do not know anyone else, except him and his fathers, peace be upon them all!”

Justifying Evil Acts

Justifying Evil Acts

Imam Sadiq (a.s.) had heard that an old man had become famous for his piety. One day, he saw him surrounded by a large crowd. A little later, the man came out of the crowd and distancing himself from them, proceeded alone, whereupon the Imam (a.s.) began to follow him. After a short time, the Imam (a.s.) observed that he had stopped near a bakery from where he stealthily picked up two loaves of bread. After a short distance, he stopped at a fruit store, picking up two pomegranates in the same manner and once again continued on his way.

As he walked further, the old man approached a sick person, handed over the loaves and fruits to him and was about to move on when Imam Sadiq (a.s.) came up to him and said, “I have witnessed something greatly astonishing from you”, and then proceeded to narrate the acts, which he had witnessed.

The old man said, “I suppose you are Imam Sadiq (a.s.).”

The Imam (a.s.) replied in the affirmative.

The man continued, “It is really unfortunate that in spite of being of the progeny of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) you do not seem to know anything.”

The Imam (a.s.) asked, “What act of ignorance have you noticed from me?”

The man said, “But do you not know that God has said in the Qur’an “Whoever brings a good deed, he shall have ten like it and whoever brings an evil deed, he shall be recompensed only with the like of it”. [163]

On this basis, since I have stolen two fruits and two loaves of bread, I have four sins in my account, but on the other hand, since I have given it in the way of God, I have earned forty good deeds. Reducing four from forty, I still have thirty-six good deeds in my account; a pity that you possess no knowledge of such computations!”

The Imam (a.s.) explained to him, “But have you not heard this verse of the Qur’an, which says: “Allah only accepts from those who guard (against evil)”. [164] You have earned four sins by stealing those four items and four more sins for giving them tosomeone else without the permission of the owners, so you have collected eight sins but not a single good deed.”

Later, the Imam (a.s.) said to his companions, “With such interpretations and justifications, not only do they mislead themselves, but others as well.”

[164] Ibid, ch. Al-Maidah (5), vs. 27: (إِنَّما يَتَقَبَّلُ اللَّهُ مِنَ الْمُتَّقِينَ )

[164] Namunah-e-Ma’arif, vol. 4, pg. 275; Wasaail al-Shia’h, vol. 2, pg. 57.

Justifying Evil Acts

Justifying Evil Acts

 

Imam Sadiq (a.s.) had heard that an old man had become famous for his piety.  One day, he saw him surrounded by a large crowd.  A little later, the man came out of the crowd and distancing himself from them, proceeded alone, whereupon the Imam (a.s.) began to follow him.  After a short time, the Imam (a.s.) observed that he had stopped near a bakery from where he stealthily picked up two loaves of bread.  After a short distance, he stopped at a fruit store, picking up two pomegranates in the same manner and once again continued on his way. 

 

As he walked further, the old man approached a sick person, handed over the loaves and fruits to him and was about to move on when Imam Sadiq (a.s.) came up to him and said, “I have witnessed something greatly astonishing from you”, and then proceeded to narrate the acts, which he had witnessed.

 

The old man said, “I suppose you are Imam Sadiq (a.s.).”

 

The Imam (a.s.) replied in the affirmative.

 

The man continued, “It is really unfortunate that in spite of being of the progeny of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) you do not seem to know anything.”

 

The Imam (a.s.) asked, “What act of ignorance have you noticed from me?”

 

The man said, “But do you not know that God has said in the Qur’an “Whoever brings a good deed, he shall have ten like it and whoever brings an evil deed, he shall be recompensed only with the like of it”. [163]

 

On this basis, since I have stolen two fruits and two loaves of bread, I have four sins in my account, but on the other hand, since I have given it in the way of God, I have earned forty good deeds.  Reducing four from forty, I still have thirty-six good deeds in my account; a pity that you possess no knowledge of such computations!”

 

The Imam (a.s.) explained to him, “But have you not heard this verse of the Qur’an, which says: “Allah only accepts from those who guard (against evil)”. [164]  You have earned four sins by stealing those four items and four more sins for giving them tosomeone else without the permission of the owners, so you have collected eight sins but not a single good deed.”

 

Later, the Imam (a.s.) said to his companions, “With such interpretations and justifications, not only do they mislead themselves, but others as well.”

[164] Ibid, ch. Al-Maidah (5), vs. 27: (إِنَّما يَتَقَبَّلُ اللَّهُ مِنَ الْمُتَّقِينَ )

[164] Namunah-e-Ma’arif, vol. 4, pg. 275; Wasaail al-Shia’h, vol. 2, pg. 57.

Bond of Brotherhood

Bond of Brotherhood

 Muhammad Ibn A’jlaan narrates:

 I was in the company of Imam Sadiq (a.s.) when a man, from a distant city, arrived and greeted the gathering.

 “How were your brothers when you took leave of them?” the Imam (a.s.) asked him.

 The man spoke well of them and praised them a great deal.  The Imam (a.s.) then questioned, “Do the rich visit the indigent ones when they fall sick?”

 He said that they seldom did.

 The Imam (a.s.) carried on, “Do the rich seek to know the condition of the impoverished ones?”

 “Rarely” answered the man. 

 “Do the affluent ones help out the poor and the needy?”

 The man responded, “You speak of attributes, which are rare amongst our people.”

 The Imam (a.s.) remarked, “How then do these people consider themselves to be (our) Shiites (when there exists no bond of brotherhood between the affluent and the impoverished ones).

Al-Kafi, vol. 2, ‘The Chapter of The Right of a Mu’min upon his brother’, tr. 10

Levels of Faith………..

Levels of Faith

 Imam Sadiq, (a.s.) addressing a saddler, who used to serve him, said:

 “Some Muslims possess one portion of faith, while there are others, who possess two or three or even seven portions of it.  It is inappropriate to burden a person, possessing one portion of faith, with acts suitable for a person possessing two portions of faith.  Similarly, it is inappropriate to burden a person who has two portions of faith with acts suitable for a person with three portions of faith.”

 The Imam (a.s.) continued, “Let me present an example: 

 Once,there was a man whose neighbour was a Christian.  The man invited him to Islam and the Christian agreed and converted to a Muslim.

 The next day at dawn, the Muslim knocked on the door of the convert’s house. When the convert answered the door, the man told him to perform wudhu, get dressed and accompany him to the mosque for prayers. The neighbour duly obliged and both men proceeded to the mosque. They offered not only morning prayers but also many other prayers until it was sunrise.

 The new Muslim wished to return home, when the man asked him:

 

‘Where are you going?  The days are short and very soon it will be time for the Dhuhr prayers.  Let us wait until we have offered our Dhuhr prayers.’

 So they waited till it was Dhuhr, when they offered their prayer. The convert prepared to leave but the man persuaded him to stay until A’sr time. They offered A’sr prayer after which the convert decided to go. The man told him that it was almost sunset and that they should not go before offering Maghrib prayer. He then persuaded his neighbour to stay for the E’sha prayer also.

 Finally, they went back home.

 The next dawn, the man again knocked on the door of the convert and asked him to go to the mosque with him.

 The newly converted Muslim retorted, ‘For this religion of yours, seek someone who has more time on his hands than me.  I am a poor person and have a family to feed and look after!’

 The Imam (a.s.) concluded, “The ignorant Muslim reverted him to his original faith of Christianity

Namunah-e-Ma’arif, vol. 2, pg. 479; Al-Kafi, ‘The chapter of Levels of Faith’, tr. 2.