Independence from People

1. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from al-Hassan ibn Mahbub from ‘Abd Allah ibn Sinan from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “The nobility of the believer is in his worship at night and his honor is in his independence from people.”

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

67. From him, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Al-Husayn Bin Saeed, from Muhammad Bin Dawood from Muhammad Bin Atiyya who said: ‘A man from the scholars of the people of Syria (Al-Shaam) came up to Abu Ja’far (asws). He said, ‘O Abu Ja’far (asws), I have come to ask you (asws) a question which has exhausted me in finding one who could explain it to me, and I have asked three kinds of the people about it, so each type from them said something other than what the other one said’. So Abu Ja’far (asws) said to him: ‘What would that be?’ He said, ‘I ask you (asws) about the first thing what Allah (azwj) Created from His (azwj) creatures, for some of the ones I asked said it was the Destiny, and some of them said it was the Pen, and some of them said it was the Spirit’. So Abu Ja’far (asws) said: ‘They have not said anything. I (asws) hereby inform you that Allah (azwj) Blessed and High Existed and there was nothing other than Him (azwj), and He (azwj) was Mighty and there was no one who was mighty before Him (azwj), and that is His (azwj) Statement: “[37:180] Glory be to your Lord, the Lord of Honour, above what they describe”, and He (azwj) was the Creator before the creation, and had He (azwj) Created, and Had He (azwj) Created something from His (azwj) Creation, something from something, then there would be no cut-off from it (the chain) ever, and it would never cease if Allah (azwj) had something with Him (azwj) and He (azwj) did not precede it, but He (azwj) Existed when there was nothing other than Him (azwj). And He (azwj) Created the thing from which are all things, and it is the water from which He (azwj) Created the things. So He (azwj) Lineage everything to the water and did not Make a lineage for the water to which it can be ascribed. And He (azwj) Created the wind from the water, then Made the wind to overcome the water. So the wind sent down into the body of the water until foam swirled from the water in accordance with what He (azwj) so Desired it to swirl. So He (azwj) Created from that foam, pure white land with no crack in it, nor any holes, neither ascending nor descending, and no tree. Then He (azwj) Folded it, so He (azwj) Placed it on top of the water. Then Allah (azwj) Created the fire from the water, so the fire bust out of the body of the water until smoke arose from the water in accordance with Allah (azwj) so Desired it to rise. So He (azwj) Created from that smoke, clear and pure sky in which there were no cracks nor any holes, and that is His (azwj) Statement: “[79:27] Are you the harder to create or the heaven? He made it. [79:28] He raised high its height, then put it into a right good state. [79:29] And He made dark its night and brought out its light”. He (asws) said: ‘And there was no sun, and no moon, and no stars and no clouds. Then He (azwj) Folded it and Placed it upon the earth, then Established two creations. Then He (azwj) Raised the sky before the earth, so that is His (azwj) Statement, Mighty is His (azwj) Mention: “[79:30] And the earth, He expanded it after that”. He (azwj) Said that He (azwj) Spread it out’. So the Syrian said to him (asws), ‘O Abu Ja’far (asws), the Statement of Allah (azwj) the High: “[21:30] Do not those who disbelieve see that the heavens and the earth were closed up, but We have opened them”. So Abu Ja’far (asws) said: ‘Perhaps you think that these two used to be stuck together and there were separated from each other?’ He said, ‘Yes’. Abu Ja’far (asws) said: ‘Seek Forgiveness from your Lord (azwj), for it is the Statement of Allah (azwj) Mighty and Majestic that they were closed up, meaning that the sky used to be closed up and no rain descended from it, and the earth was closed up and did not grow any seed (vegetation). So when Allah (azwj) Blessed and High Created the creatures, He (azwj) Spread therein all kinds of animals. He (azwj) Opened up the sky by the rain and the earth by the seed’. The Syrian said, ‘I testify that you (asws) are from the children of the Prophets (as) and that your (asws) knowledge is their (as) knowledge’.

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

2. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father and Ali ibn Muhammad al-Qasani all from al-Qasim ibn Muhammad from Sulayman ibn Dawud al-Minqari from Hafs ibn Ghiyath who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘If any of you would like not to be rejected when asking his Lord (Allah) for something, you must abolish all of your hope in people and place your hope in no one except Allah. When Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, finds this in one’s heart. He then will not reject one’s prayers and grant one’s wishes.’”

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

3. Through the same chain of narrators it is narrated from al-Minqari from ‘Abd al- Razzaq from Mu’ammar from al-Zuhri from Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.) who has said the following: “I saw all good gathered together in cutting off of yearning for what belongs to people and in not having any hope in people in anything and in leaving his affairs in the hands of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, in all matters. Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, will answer him in all things.”

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

4. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn al-Hakam from al-Husayn ibn abu al-‘Ala’ from ‘Abd al-‘Ala’ ibn ‘A’yun who has said the following: “I heard Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) say, ‘Asking people for help is seeking to abolish one’s respect, as well as one’s bashfulness. Placing no hope in what is in the hands of people is dignity for a believer in his religion and greed is poverty at hand.’”

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

5. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn abu Nasr who has said the following: “Once I said to abu al-Hassan al-Rida (a.s.) ‘May Allah keep my soul in service for your cause, please write for me to Isma’il ibn Dawud al-Katib. 1 hope I will receive something from him.’ The Imam said, ‘I resent that you ask from him or similar persons. Allow it (financial help) to be paid from my property.’”

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

6. It is narrated from him (narrator of the Hadith above) from his father from Hammad ibn ‘Isa from Mu’awiyah ibn ‘Ammar from Najam ibn Hatim al- Ghanawi from abu Ja’far (a.s.) who has said the following: “A believer’s having no hope in (what is in the hands of) people, is his respect and power in his religion. Have you not heard the words of Hatim, ‘When I decided not to have any hope I found it to be independence, when I made the soul to know it. Greed is poverty?”’ (The quote is due to its popularity not as evidence).

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

7. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Muhammad ibn Sinan from ‘Ammar al-Sabati from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “Amir al-Mu’minin (Ali ibn abu Talib) (a.s.) would say, ‘In your heart you must have both hope in people and independence from them. Your hope and need in people must be in the form of speaking to them softly and with a delightful appearance. Your independence from them must be in the form of maintaining dignity and safety of your respect.’” Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ali ibn Mu’ bid who has that narrated to him Ali ibn ‘Umar from Yahya ibn ‘Imran from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “Amir al-Mu’minin (Ali ibn abu Talib) (a.s.) would say . . .” then he mentioned a Hadith similar to the one above.’”

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