Feeling of Self-importance

1. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Ali ibn Asbat from a man of our people from Khurasan of the children of Ibrahim ibn Sayyar in a marfu’ manner from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “Allah knew that sin is better for believing people than feeling self-important. Were it not as such, a believer would never sin.”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

125. Sahl Bin Ziyad, from Yahya Bin Al-Mubarak, from Abdullah Bin Jabalat, from Muhammad Bin Al-Fazeyl, who has narrated the following: Abu Al-Hassan the First (asws) replied, when I said to him (asws), ‘May I be sacrificed for you (asws), (its about) a man from our brethren, a matter has reached me about him which I dislike, so I ask about that but he denies that, and it has been informed to me from reliable people’. He (asws) said to me: ‘O Muhammad, deny your hearing and your vision about your brother even though fifty have testified in your presence under oath, and if he says something to you, so ratify him and belie them. Do not publicise anything against him which would disgrace him and destroy his magnanimity, for you will become those for whom Allah (azwj) has Said in His (azwj) Book: “[24:19] Surely (as for) those who love that scandal should circulate respecting those who believe, they shall have a grievous chastisement in this world and the hereafter; and Allah knows, while you do not know”.

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

2. It is narrated from him (narrator of the Hadith above) from Sa’id ibn Janah from his brother abu ‘Amir from a man from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “Whoever has a feeling of self-importance is destroyed.”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

3. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ali ibn Asbat from Ahmad ibn ‘Umar al-Hallal from Ali ibn Suwayd who has said the following: “Once I asked abu al-Hassan (a.s.) about the feeling of self-importance that destroys good deeds. The Imam said, ‘The feeling of self-importance is of several degrees. Of such feeling is that one’s bad deeds seem attractive to him. He considers it good and it gives him a feeling of self-importance. He thinks that he is doing well. Of such a feeling is that a servant (of Allah) believes in his Lord and begins to like doing a favor to Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, in fact, Allah has done him the favor.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

4. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from ‘Abd al- Rahman ibn al-Hajjaj from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “A man sins and then feels regretful. He then does a good deed that gives him happiness (feeling of self-importance). He then weakens. His being in a condition (regretful) is better than what he finds himself in (after a good deed with feeling of self- importance).”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

5. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn Sinan from Nadr ibn Qirwash from Ishaq ibn ‘Ammar from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “Once a scholar went to see a worshipper and asked, ‘How are your prayers?’ He (the worshipper) replied, ‘Is a person like me questioned about his prayers? I have been worshipping Allah from such and such times.’ The scholar then asked, ‘How is your weeping?’ He (the worshipper) said, ‘I weep until my tears flow.’ The scholar said, ‘In fact, your laughing with fear is better than your weeping with bravado; nothing of the deeds of boastful people ascends (to heaven).”’

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

6. It is narrated from him (narrator of the Hadith above) from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ahmad ibn abu Dawud from certain individuals of our people from one of the two Imam (a.s.) who has said the following: “Two people went to a Mosque. One was a worshipper and the other a sinful one. They left the Mosque. The sinner was a true believer, but the worshipper had become a sinner. It so happened, because the worshipper went to the Mosque boastful of his worshipping, thus, his thoughts were all the time on boastfulness. The sinner was regretful for his sins and was asking forgiveness from Allah.”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

7. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Yunus from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Hajjaj who has said the following: “Once I asked Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) ‘A man performs a deed and he is fearful and worried. Then he performs a good deed that gives him a feeling of self- importance.’ The Imam said, ‘His being in a fearful condition is better than his having a feeling of self-importance.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

8. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa ibn ‘Ubayd from Yunus from certain individuals of his people from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘Once Moses was sitting when Satan came to him with a many-colored hooded cloak on him. When he approached Moses he took his cloak off, stood nearby, and offered him the greeting of peace. Moses asked, ‘Who are you?’ He replied, ‘I am Satan.’ Moses said, ‘Is it you? May Allah not bring you near by.’ Satan said, ‘I came to offer you greetings of peace because of your closeness to Allah.’ The Imam said, ‘Moses then asked, ‘What is this hooded cloak for?’ He said, ‘With this I kidnap the hearts of the children of Adam.’ Moses said, ‘Tell me which sin is it that when the children of Adam commit it you feel successful?’ He said, ‘It is when he feels self-important, his good deeds are a great deal and his sins trivial. ’ “The Imam said, ‘Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, said to David, “O David, give good news to the sinners and warn the true believers.” He asked, ‘How should I give good news to the sinners and warn the true believers?’ Allah said, ‘Give good news to the sinners that I accept repentance and forgive their sins. Warn the true believers against feeling self-important due to their deeds. If I will ever make anyone settle his accounts, he is destroyed.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.