1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from abu al- Maghra’ from Zayd al-Shahham from ‘Amr ibn Sa’id ibn Hilal al-Thaqafi who has said the following: “Once I said to Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) ‘I can visit you only once every several years. Teach me, please, something to which I can hold.’ The Imam said, ‘I advise you to be pious before Allah, restrain from worldly matters (sins) and work hard. Note it properly that hard work without restraint from worldly matters is of no benefit.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

2. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al- Hassan ibn Mahbub from Hadid ibn Hakim who has said the following: “I heard Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) saying, ‘Be pious before Allah and protect your religion by means of restraint from worldly matters (sins).’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

3. Abu Ali al-Ash’ari has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Jabbar from Safwan ibn Yahya from Yazid ibn Khalifa who has said the following: “Once Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) spoke to us to advise us. He gave orders and told us to abstain from indulging (ourselves) in worldly matters. He then said, ‘You must maintain restraint; one does not receive of the things with Allah except by means of restraint from worldly matters (sins).”’

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

4. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from ibn Faddal from abu Jamilah from ibn abu Ya’fur from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘Hard work without restraint from worldly things (sins) is of no benefit.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

5. It is narrated from him (narrator of the Hadith above) from his father from Fadalah ibn Ayyub from al-Hassan ibn Ziyad al-Sayqal from Fudayl ibn Yasar from abu Ja’far who has said the following: “Abu Ja’far (a.s.) has said, ‘Restraining from worldly matters (sins) is the most intense form of worship.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

6. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Muhammad ibn Isma’il ibn Bazi’ from Hanan ibn Sadir who has said that abu Sabah al-Kanani said to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.):“Abu Sabah al-Kanani has said, ‘We are not received well among people because of you.’ The Imam said, ‘How are you received among people because of me?’ He said, ‘As soon as we speak to a man he then says, “He is a Ja’fari (follower of Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq (a.s.)) a filthy one.’” The Imam said, ‘Do they reprimand you because of me?’ He said, ‘Yes, they do so.’ The Imam said, ‘I swear by Allah, how few are among you who follow Ja’far ibn Muhammad (a.s.)? My people and followers are only those who maintain forceful restraint from worldly things (sins), work for their creator, and hope to receive reward from their Lord. Only such people are of my followers.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

7. Hanan ibn Sadir has narrated from abu Sara al-Ghazzal from Abu Ja’far (a.s.) who said: “Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, has said, ‘O son of Adam, stay away from what I have made unlawful to you, you then will be of the people who restrain themselves from worldly matters the most.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

8. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father and Ali ibn Muhammad from al- Qasim ibn Muhammad from Sulayman al-Minqari from Hafs ibn Ghiyath who has said the following: “I asked Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) what kind of people are those who restrain from worldly matters? The Imam said, ‘They are those who stay away from what Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, has made unlawful.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

9. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Ali ibn al-Nu’man from abu ‘Usama who has said the following: “I heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) saying, ‘You must be pious before Allah, restrain yourself against worldly matters, work hard, speak the truth, keep the trust, have good moral behaviors, be good to your neighbors and be so good that you can attract people without preaching to them by your tongues. Be an honor for us and not a disgrace. You must take a long time during your Ruku’ and Sajda (bowing down in prayer and prostration). When one of you takes a long time during his Ruku’ and Sajda, Satan cries behind him, “Woe upon me, he is obedient and I disobeyed. He prostrates (before the Lord) and I refused.””’

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

10. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Ali ibn abu Zayd from his father who has said the following: “Once I was in the presence of Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) when ‘Isa ibn ‘Abd Allah al-Qumi came to see him. The Imam greeted him and gave him a seat near his own seat. The Imam then said, ‘O ‘Isa ibn ‘Abd Allah, one is not from our people, and it is not an honor that one lives in a city of a hundred thousand people and someone else (one who is not a Shi ’a) therein excercises more restraint from worldly matters (sins) than he (a Shi’a) does.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

11. It is narrated from him (narrator of the Hadith above) from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from ibn Faddal from Ali ibn ‘Aqaba from abu Kahmas from ‘Amr ibn Sa’id ibn Hilal who has said the following: “Once I asked Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) to instruct me with good advice. The Imam said, ‘I recommend you to be pious before Allah, restrain from worldly matters (sins) and work hard. Note that there is no benefit in hard work without restraint from worldly matters.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

12. It is narrated from him (narrator of the Hadith above) from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn al-Hakam from Sayf ibn ‘Amirah from abu al-Sabah al-Kanani from abu Ja’far (a.s.) who has said the following: “Abu Ja’far (a.s.) has said, ‘Support us by means of restraint from worldly matters; whoever of you will meet Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, with the quality of restraint from worldly matters will have enough good news from Allah. Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, has said, “One who obeys Allah and the Messenger is a friend of the prophets, saints, martyrs and the righteous ones to whom Allah has granted His favors. They are the best friends that one can have.” (4:69) ‘Of our people are the prophets, the truthful ones, the martyrs and the virtuous people.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

13. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ibn Mahbub from ibn Ri’ab from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “We do not consider a person a believer until that person follows us in all of our orders and has firmly decided to do so. The decision to exercise restraint against worldly matters consists of following our orders and commands. You must have this beautiful quality. May Allah grant you blessings. With this Quality you defeat our enemies, and Allah will grant you delight and happiness.”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

14. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Hajjal from al-‘Ala’ from ibn abu Ya’fur from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘Preach to people without your tongue. You must show them restraint from worldly matters (sins). You should perform hard work, prayer and good deeds. Such behavior includes preaching.”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

15. Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Sa’id from Muhammad ibn Muslim from Muhammad ibn Hamza al-‘Alawi who has said the following: “’Ubayd Allah ibn Ali reported to me from Abu al-Hasan the 1st (a.s.) who has said, ‘I would often hear my father saying, 'He is not one of our Shia who the women in their homes do not speak of his piety, and he is not from our supporters if he lives in a village with ten thousand men and there is someone among them more pious than him.'"

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.