The Rights of a Believer on his Brother (in belief) and his duty to observe Such Rights

1. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Ali ibn al-Hakam from Sayf ibn ‘ Amirah from ‘ Amr ibn Shamir from Jabir from abu Ja’far (a.s.) who has said the following: “Of the rights of the believer on his believing brother (in belief) is to satisfy his hunger, provide covering for his privacy, facilitate his hardships and pay off his debts. When he dies, look after his family and children.”

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

75. And by this chain, from Abaan, from Uqba Bin Basheer Al-Asady, from Al-Kumeyt Bin Zayd Al-asady who said: ‘I came up to Abu Ja’far (asws), so he (asws) said: ‘By Allah (azwj), O Kumeyt, if we (asws) had in our (asws) possession some wealth, we (asws) would have given you from it, but for you is what the Rasool (saww) Allah (azwj) said to Hassan Bin Sabit: ‘The Holy Spirit will not cease to be with you so long as you defend us (saww)’. I said, ‘Inform me about the two men (Abu Bakr and Umar)’. He (the narrator) said: ‘He (asws) took the pillow and folded it unto his (asws) chest’ and said: ‘By Allah (azwj), O Kumeyt, there is no blood spilled unlawfully, nor any wealth taken without right, and not stone turned from another stone except that it would be upon their necks’.

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

3. It is narrated from him (narrator of the Hadith above) from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Ali ibn Sayf from his father, Sayf from ‘Abd al-‘Ala’ ibn ‘A’Yun who has said the following: “Once certain individual of our people wrote to Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) asking him about certain issues and they ordered me to ask the Imam about the rights of the Muslim on his Muslim brother and I asked the Imam but he did not answer me. When I went to say farewell to him I said, ‘I asked you that question but you did not answer me.’ The Imam said, ‘I am afraid you may disregard them. Of the obligations most pressing that Allah has made obligatory upon His creature are three things: a man’s yielding to justice against his own soul so as not to accept for his brother (in belief) what he does not accept for his own self, to assist his brother with his property and speak of Allah in all conditions. I do not mean thereby, saying, ‘Glory belongs to Allah and all praise belongs to Allah. Truly speaking of and remembering Allah is to stay away from whatever He has prohibited.’”

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

4. It is narrated from him (narrator of the Hadith above) from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Hassan ibn Mahbub from Jamil from Marazim from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “Allah the best way to worship is to fulfil (protect) the rights of the believer.”

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

5. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Hammad ibn ‘Isa from Ibrahim ibn ‘Umar al-Yamani from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “Of the rights of the Muslim on the Muslim is that he must not satisfy himself with food while his Muslim brother is hungry. One must not satisfy himself with water while one’s Muslim brother is thirsty, and one must not dress up in finery while his Muslim brother is in need of clothes. How great is the right of the Muslim on his Muslim brother! The Imam then said, ‘Love for your Muslim brother what you love for yourself. Ask him when you need him and when he needs you, you must help him and do not frustrate him, but be his supporter; he is your supporter. When he is absent protect his interests in his absence and when he is present visit, honor and respect him; you are from him and he is from you. If he is disappointed with you do not keep away from him before asking him to forgive you and if he gains something, thank Allah for it. If he suffers from something then support him. If he is subjected to a plot, assist him. If a man says to his brother, fie up on you, the relation of guardianship between them remains no longer. If he says, ‘You are my enemy, one of them will become an unbeliever. If he accuses him, belief in his heart melts like salt melts in water.’ The narrator has said that it is reported to me that the Imam said, ‘The light of the believer shines to the inhabitants of the heavens like the stars shine to the inhabitants of earth.’ And he said, ‘The believer is the friend of Allah Who helps him and grants him favors. He does not say about Him but the truth and he is not afraid of any one other than Him.’”

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

7. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Mansur ibn Yunus from abu al-Mamun al-Harithi who has said the following: “Once I asked Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) ‘What are the rights of the believer on the believer?’ The Imam said, ‘Of the rights of the believer on the believer is to have compassion for him in his heart, assist him with his property, protect his interests in his absence in the matters of his family and support him against those who do injustice to him. If a benefit is distributed among the Muslims in his absence his believing brother should secure his share thereof. When he dies, he should visit his gravesite, must not do injustice to him, must not deceive him, must not violate his trust, must not betray him, must not call him a liar, must not say to him, ‘Fie upon you.’ If he says fie up on you then no guardianship ( Walayah ) relations will remain between them. If he says, ‘You are my enemy,’ one of them becomes an unbeliever and if he accuses him, belief in his heart will melt as salt melts in water.’”

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

8. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from abu Ali Sahib al-Kalal from Aban ibn Taghlib who has said the following: “Once I was performing Tawaf (walking seven times around the Ka’ba) along with Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) when a man from our people came up asking me to go with him for a certain need and hinted to me for that purpose, but I did not like to leave Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) and go with him. I was still performing Tawaf when he made a gesture for the same purpose and Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) saw him and said to me, ‘O Aban, does he want you?.’ I said, ‘Yes, he does so.’ The Imam asked, ‘Who is he?’ I said, ‘He is a man from our people.’ The Imam asked, ‘Is he of the belief that you are?’ I said, ‘Yes, he is.’ The Imam said, ‘Then go to him.’ I asked, ‘Should I discontinue Tawaf?’ The Imam said, ‘Yes, do so.’ I asked, ‘Even if it is a compulsory Tawaf?’ The Imam said, ‘Yes, even if it is such.’ I (the narrator) then went with him. Later I went to meet the Imam and I said to him, ‘Please tell me about the rights of the believer on the believer.’ The Imam asked, ‘O Aban, ignore it and do not repeat.’ I said, ‘Yes, may Allah keep my soul in service for your cause, but I still like to bring up the question. The Imam said, ‘O Aban, are you ready to share with him parts of your property?’ He then looked at me and found out what was going on in my mind and he asked, ‘O Aban do you know what Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, has said about the self-abnegating people?’ I said, ‘Yes, may Allah keep my soul in service for your cause, I know about it.’ The Imam said, ‘If you share with him you have not practiced self- abnegation, but you both are equal. You give him preference only if you give him from the other half also.’”

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

9. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from his father from Fadalah ibn Ayyub from ‘Amr ibn Aban from ‘Isa ibn abu Mansur who has said the following: “Once ibn abu Ya’fur, ‘Abd Allah ibn Talha and I were in the presence of Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who on his own initiation said, ‘O ibn abu Ya’fur, the Messenger of Allah has said, “There are six things that if found in a person, he will be before Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, to the right of Allah (to the right of the Throne of Allah).”’ Ibn abu Ya’fur then asked, ‘What are those things, may Allah keep my soul in service for your cause?’ The Imam said, ‘A man must love for his Muslim brother what he loves for the most beloved person of his family and dislike for his Muslim brother what he dislikes for the most beloved person of his family and enlighten him in Walayah (the position of people who possess Divine Authority).’ Ibn abu Ya’fur then wept and asked, ‘How does he enlighten about Walayah r T The Imam said, ‘O ibn abu Ya’fur, if he is of the same level (of belief), he should encourage him, show happiness in his happiness and express sadness if he is sad. If he has the means to facilitate him he should do so if not he should pray to Allah for him. ’ “The narrator has said that Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) then said, ‘Three things are for you and three things are for us. What is for us is that you must learn about our excellent merits, follow our footsteps and wait for our end results (Divine Kingdom) to take place. Whoever has these facts will be before Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, and those below them will receive light from their light. On seeing those who will be to the right of Allah, the ones below will not feel happy because of the enviable merits of the persons above.’ Ibn abu Ya’fur then asked, ‘How is it that they will not see when they are on the right of Allah?’ The Imam said, ‘O ibn abu Ya’fur, they are veiled with the light of Allah. Are you not aware of the Hadith that the Messenger of Allah said, ‘Allah has a creature on the right of the Throne before Allah and on the right of Allah their faces are whiter than snow and brighter than the sun of the midday. Someone asks, ‘Who are they?’ It will be said, ‘These are the ones who loved each other in the Glory of Allah.’”

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

10. It is narrated from him (narrator of the Hadith above) from ‘Uthman ibn ‘Isa from Muhammad ibn ‘Ajlan who has said the following: “Once, I was in the presence of Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) when a man came and offered the greeting of peace. The Imam asked, ‘How are your brothers (in belief) whom you have left behind?’ He praised, admired and extolled them. The Imam asked, ‘Do their wealthy ones visit their poor ones?’ He said, ‘It is very rare.’ The Imam asked, ‘Do their rich ones reach out to the poor ones?’ He said, ‘It is very rare.’ “The Imam asked, ‘Do their rich ones maintain good relations with their poor ones financially?’ He said, ‘You are speaking of the moral behavior that is practiced very rarely in our people.’ The narrator has said that the Imam then asked, ‘Why do you then think they are Shi’a (Muslims)?”’

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

11. Abu Ali al-Ash’ari has narrated from Muhammad ibn Salim from Ahmad ibn al- Nadr from abu Isma’il who has said the following: “Once I said to abu Ja’far (a.s.) ‘May Allah keep my soul in service for your cause, there is a great number of Shi’a in our area. The Imam asked, ‘Are their rich ones kind to their poor ones? Do their virtuous ones forgive their sinful ones? Do they assist each other financially?’ I said, ‘No, they do not do so.’ The Imam said, ‘They are not Shi’a. Shi’a are those who do these things.’”

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

13. Abu Ali al-Ash’ari has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Jabbar from ibn Faddal from ‘Amr ibn Aban from Sa’id ibn al-Hassan who has said the following: “Abu Ja’far (a.s.) once asked me, ‘Does your brother (in belief) come to you, stretch his hand in your pocket and take what he needs and you do not push him aside?’ I said, ‘I do not know that such things happen among us.’ Abu Ja’far (a.s.) then said, ‘There is nothing then.’ I said, ‘It is destruction then.’ The Imam said, ‘The people have not yet recieved their power of reason.’”

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

15. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn al-Hakam from abu al-Maghra’ from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “The Muslim is the brother of the Muslim (in belief). He does not do injustice to him, does not betray him, and does not violate his trust. It is worthwhile for the Muslims to be assiduous in maintaining good relations with each other, be kind to each other, assist the needy ones financially and be compassionate toward each other so that they can be as Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, has commanded them to be, ‘Compassionate toward each other, ’(48:29) kind to one another and feel sad for their absence from them. You should be just as the group of Ansar (the supporters) was in the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (a.s.) as mentioned in (48:29).’”

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

16. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from al-Nawfali from al-Sakuni from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘It is a right upon a Muslim to inform his brothers (in belief) of his decision to go on a journey. It is a right upon his Muslim brothers to visit him when he returns from the journey.’”

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

2. It is narrated from him (narrator of the Hadith above) from Ali ibn al-Hakam from ‘Abd Allah ibn Bukayr al-Hajari from Mu’alla ibn Khanis from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “Once I asked the Imam, ‘What are the rights of the Muslim on the Muslim?’ The Imam said, ‘He has seven categories of rights that are obligatory, each of which is compulsory. If he jeopardizes a single one of them he is out of the domain of guardianship ( Walayah ) of Allah and obedience to Him. There will be no share for Allah in him.’ 1 then said, ‘May Allah keep my soul in service for your cause, what are these rights?’ The Imam said, ‘O Mu’alla, I am afraid you may jeopardize them and may not protect them. You learn them but do not act up on them.’ I (the narrator) then said, ‘There is no power without the power of Allah.’ The Imam said, ‘Of those rights the easiest to fulfill is to love for him what you love for yourself and dislike for him what you dislike for yourself. The second right is to avoid (stirring) his anger, follow his wishes and obey his commands. The third right is to support him with your soul, property, tongue, hands and legs. The fourth right is to be his eyes, his guide and his mirror. The fifth right is that you must not be satisfied with food while he is hungry, with drinks while he is thirsty, and that you dress up in finery while he does not have any clothes. The sixth right is not to allow yourself to have a servant while your brother in belief does not have any servant. It then is necessary to send your servant to wash his clothes, prepare food and his bed for him. The seventh right is to keep his share handsomely, accept his invitations, visit him when he is ill, attend his funeral and if he needs something, initiate to fulfill it and do not delay until he asks you for help. You must hurry quickly and when you do so you have connected your guardianship with his guardianship and vice versa.’”

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

6. Abu Ali al-Ash’ari has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Jabbar from ibn Faddal from Ali ibn ‘Uqbah from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “Of the rights of Muslin on a Muslim is to offer him the greeting of peace upon meeting him, visit him when he is ill, protect his interest when he is absent, say, ‘May Allah bless you’ when he sneezes, accept his invitation and take part in the procession for his funeral.” A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from ibn Faddal from Ali ibn ‘Uqbah a similar Hadith.

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

12. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Muhammad ibn Sinan from al-‘Ala’ ibn Fudayl from abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) who has said the following: “Abu Ja’far (a.s.) would say, ‘Dignify your people, honor them and do not be aggressive toward each other, do not harm each other and do not be jealous of each other. You must never be miserly and always be sincere servants of Allah.’”

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

14. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from al-Husayn ibn al-Hassan from Muhammad ibn ‘Uramah in a marfu’ manner from Mu’alla ibn Khanis who has said the following: “Once I asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) about the rights of the believer. The Imam said, ‘There are seventy categories of rights but I will only tell you of seven; I am compassionate for you and I fear you may not be able to bear it.’ I said, ‘Yes, I will bear it, if Allah so wills.’ The Imam said, ‘You must not satisfy yourself with food while he is hungry, you must not dress up in finery while he may not have any clothes. You must be as his guide, as his shirt (a means of protection) that he wears, his tongue with which he speaks and love for him what you love for yourself. If you have a maiden servant, send her to prepare his bed and try to serve him during the day or night. If you do this you have connected your guardianship with our guardianship and with the guardianship of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy.’”

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