Chapter on the Qualities of the Scholars

1. Muhammad ibn Yahya al-‘Attar from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from al-Hassan ibn Mahbub from Mu‘awiya ibn Wahab who has said the following. “Imam abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) has said. “Seek knowledge and beautify it with forbearance and dignity. Be humble to your students and to those from whom you learn. Do not be a tyrant scholar lest your falsehood would destroy the truth in you.”

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

1. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from al-Hassan ibn Ali from ‘Abd Allah ibn Maymun al-Qaddah from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘Prayer and pleading before Allah for help is the means for its acceptance just as clouds are means of rain.’”

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

1. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ‘Uthman ibn ’Isa from Sama‘ah ibn Mehran who has said the following: “I once asked him (the Imam) (a.s.), about the case of a young girl who experiences Hayd (menses) for the first time. In one month she experiences for two days and in the second month for three days and so they are not certain days of known duration every month. He (the Imam) said, ‘ She must deal with it like Hayd (menses) and stop performing Salah (prayer) as long as there is discharge which is not more than ten days. If the duration of her Hayd (menses) in two months remains the same, this establishes a pattern for her Hayd (menses).”’

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

1. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Faddal from ibn Bukayr from ‘Amr ibn Yazid who has said the following: “I once said to abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), that a man says, ‘I stay home, perform Salat (prayer), fast and worship my Lord. My sustenance will come to me. 5 Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), said, ‘This is one of the three (classes of people) whose prayer is not answered.’”

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

1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from certain persons of his people from ibn Bukayr from Zurarah who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘It is not a divorce unless it is intended to be a divorce.’”

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

1. Al-Husayn from Muhammad has narrated from Mu‘alla’ ibn Muhammad from certain persons of our people from Aban ibn ‘Uthman from abu Maryam al-Ansariy who has narrated the following: “Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said, ‘The one who knows the number of the grains of sand of a sand valley definitely knows that no deficiency takes place in the ordained shares which are not more than six.’”

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

2. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Yunus from Hammad ibn ‘Uthman from al-Harith ibn Mughirah al-Nasri that Abu ‘Abdallah (al-Sadiq) (as) about the words of Allah (swt), 'Only God’s knowledgeable servants fear Him' (35:28), he (as) said: "The meaning of the knowledgable ones (al-'Ulama) are those whose actions testify to the truthfulness of their words and whosever actions are not truthful to their words, then he is not a knowledgable one."

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

2. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ja’far ibn Muhammad al-Ash’ari from ibn al-Qaddah from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “Any servant (of Allah) who raises his hands toward Allah, the Most Majestic, the Compelling, Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, will be shy to turn him down empty-handed, and without placing in it from His favors as He wills. After praying you (every one of you) should not return his hands to normal position before wiping them over his face and head.”

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

2. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Yunus ibn Ya’qub who has said the following: “I once said to abu ’Abd Allah (a.s.), that a woman may experience blood discharge for three or four days. He (the Imam) said, ’She must stop performing Salah (prayer).’ I then said that she might experience Hayd-free time for three or four days. He (the Imam) said, ’She must perform Salah (prayer).’ I then said that she might experience blood discharge for three or four days. He (the Imam) said, ‘She must stop performing Salah (prayer).’ I then said that she might experience blood- discharge-free time for three or four days. He (the Imam) said, ’She must perform Salah (prayer).’ I then said that she might experience blood discharge for three or four days. He (the Imam) said, ‘She must stop performing Salah (prayer) and continue as such for one month and if blood discharge did not stop she must deal with it according to the rules for Istihadah (irregular menses).”’

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

2. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn Ahmad, from Ahmad ibn al-Hassan ibn Ali from ‘Amr ibn Sa‘id, from Musaddiq ibn Sadaqah from ‘Ammar ibn Musa al-Sabatiy who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘In the first night of the month of Ramadan say the following: “O Lord of the month of Ramadan and the One who has revealed the Holy Quran! This is the month of Ramadan when You have revealed the Holy Quran. You have revealed in it clear signs for guidance and discernment. O Lord, grant us the opportunity to fast in this month and assist us to perform salat (prayer). O Lord, keep it safe for us, keep us safe therein, and take it back from us with ease and forgiveness. O Lord, in Your determination and measures of the inevitable matters and Your discernment of the matters of wisdom, during the night of al-Qadr (destiny), the determinations that will not be changed or altered, please write my name with those who perform Hajj around Your respected House. Please write my name with the names of those whose efforts are appreciated, whose sins are forgiven and bad deeds remedied. In Your measures and determination, please grant me long life and abundantly lawful sustenance.’””

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

2. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Al-Hassan ibn ‘Atiyah from ‘Umar ibn Yazid who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Do you think the sustenance of a man who stays in his home and closes his door, keeps falling on him from the sky?”’

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

2. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Faddal from ibn Bukayr from Zurarah from al-Yasa’ from abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), from ‘ Abd al-Wahid ibn al-Mukhtar from abu Ja‘far (a.s.), who has said the following: “One of the two Imam, (abu Ja‘far or abu ‘Abd Allah) (a.s.), has said, ‘It is not a divorce unless it is intended to be a divorce.’”

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

2. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Yunus ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman from Sama‘ah from abu Basir who has narrated the following: “I once said to abu Ja‘far (a.s.), ‘The ordained shares may turn into one hundred or less or more/ He (the Imam) said, ‘The ordained sharers do not exceed six.’ He (the Imam) said that Amir al-Mu’minin would say, ‘The one who has enumerated the number of the grains of sand of a sand valley knows that the ordained shares do not exceed six: if you consider its aspects, it does not exceed six/”

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

3. A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Barqi from ’Isma’il ibn Mihran from abu Sa‘id al-Qammat from al-Halabi from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following. “Imam Ali (a.s.) said, ‘Do you want me to describe to you the true Faqih, person who truly has a good understanding of religion? A true Faqih is one who does not cause people to despair from the mercy of Allah and does not make them to be unconcerned about the punishment of Allah, who does not allow them to consider disobedience to Allah as permissible and who do not abandon the holy Quran because of being attracted towards other matters. You must know that there is no goodness in knowledge without good understand (Fiqh). You must know that there is nothing good in a recitation without thinking about it. You must know that there is nothing good in worship without thoughtfulness. In another Hadith it says, “ You must know that there is nothing good in a knowledge without good understanding. You must know that there is nothing good in a recitation without thinking about it. You must know that there is nothing good in worship without having a good understanding of religion. You must know that there is nothing good in performing the acts of Hajj etc. without piety.’”

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

3. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad in a marfu’ manner from Zur’ah, from Sama’ah who has said the following: “I once asked him (the Imam) (a.s.), about the case of a girl who experiences blood discharge for the first time. It continues for three months and she does not know the duration the discharge-free time of her Hayd (menses). He (the Imam) said, ‘Her discharge-free time is like those of the women from her relatives. If the case with the women of her relatives is different, then the maximum for her is ten days and the minimum is three days.’”

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

3. Muhammad ibn ‘Isma’il has narrated from al-Fadl ibn Shadhan from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Ibrahim ibn ‘Abd al-Hamid from Ayyub, brother of ‘Udaym Bayya’ al-Harawiy who has said the following: “Once we were in the presence of abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), when al-‘Ala’ ibn Kamil came in and sat in front of abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), and asked, ‘Please pray for me so Allah will make me affluent.’ Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), said, ‘I will not pray for you. Has Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, not commanded you to seek and find your sustenance?”’

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

3. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad and Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ‘Abd al- Rahman ibn abu Najran from ‘Abd Allah ibn Bukayr from Zurarah from al-Yasa’ who has said the following: “I once heard abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has stated this Hadith. ‘Divorce, which is not according to Sunnah, is not a divorce. A divorce is not according to Sunnah if it is not pronounced in the presence of two just witnesses, in a menses-free period in which the husband has not gone to bed with her. If a man divorces his wife in a menses-free period during which he has not gone to bed with her but it is not in presence (of two just) witnesses, such divorce is not a valid divorce. If a man divorces his wife according to Sunnah, in a menses-free period in which he has not gone to bed with her and pronounces it in the presence of witnesses but has not intended it to be a divorce it also is not a valid divorce.’”

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

3. Muhammad ibn ’Isma‘il has narrated from al-Fadl ibn Shadhan from Muhammad ibn Yahya from Ali ibn ‘Abd Allah from Ya‘qub ibn Ibrahim ibn Sa‘d who has said that narrated to me my father from Muhammad ibn Ishaq who has said that narrated to me al-Zuhri from ‘Ubayd Allah ibn ‘Utbah who has narrated the following: “I sat with Ibn ‘Abbas that a mention of ordained shares of inheritance was made and Ibn ‘Abbas said, ‘Allah is free of all defects, the most great. Do you think that one who enumerates the number of the grains of sand in a sand valley has designated half and half and one-third? The two halves take away the legacy then where is the room for the one-third?’ Zufar ibn ’Aws al-Basri said, ‘O Ibn ‘Abbas, who was the first one who caused excess or deficiency in the ordained shares? He said, ‘It was ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab when several ordained shares were before him which he gave certain amount to certain people and he said, “I do not know which one of you is first and which one is last according to Allah and I do not find anything bigger to distribute this asset among you in shares.” So he deducted from each of those with ordained shares to offset for the deficiency. I swear by Allah had he placed first whom Allah had placed first and placed last whom Allah had placed last, then no deficiency would take place in the ordained shares.’ Zufar ibn ’Aws then said to him, ‘What has He placed first and what has He placed last?’ He said, ‘Every ordained share that Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, has not brought down from its being an ordained share except to another ordained share is what Allah has placed first. What Allah has placed last are such shares that when being moved from its status has no replacement except whatever is left, thus it is what Allah has placed last. The ordained shares that He has placed first are one-half, which is the share of a husband. When something is added to it then it is reduced to one-fourth and thereafter it is not removed to some other position. The share of a wife is one-fourth but when it is removed, it becomes one-eighth and then it remains without change. The share of a mother is one-third and when it is reduced, it becomes one-sixth and it then remains unchanged and these are the ordained shares that Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, has placed first. Of the shares, that Allah has placed last is the share of two daughters and sisters, which are one-half and two-thirds. However, when they are removed from these positions they are not placed in another position with the remaining of the legacy. Thus, they are that which Allah has placed last. When the ones that are placed first and those, who are placed last come together, the ones that are placed first are given priority. A complete right is given to the beneficiary; then if anything left is given to those whose shares Allah has placed last. If nothing remains then there is nothing for him.’ Zufar ibn ’Aws then said to him (ibn Abbas), ‘What stopped you from giving this advice to ‘Umar?’ He (ibn Abbass) said, ‘It is his fearsomeness. ’ Al-Zuhri has said, ‘By Allah, had he (ibn Abbas) presented it before a just Imam, who based his command on justice and piety, who would approve it, (the idea of ibn Abbas) then it would pass (in practical form among people) because no two people have disputed over the knowledge of ibn al-‘ Abbas.’”

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

4. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa and Muhammad ibn ‘Ism’il from al-Fadl ibn Shadhan al-Naysaburi, all from Safwan ibn Yahya from abu al-Hassan al-Rida (a.s.) who has said the following. “Of the signs of Fiqh, good understanding of religion is forbearance and quietness.”

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

4. Ahmad ibn Muhammad has narrated from Ali ibn al-Husayn from Ali ibn Asbat from al-Hakam ibn Miskin who has said that narrated to us ‘Amr ibn Shimr who has said the following: “I heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), say the following. ‘’Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.), when seeing the crescent of the month of Ramadan facing the direction of Makkah, would say, “O Lord, make it (new moon) a month of peace, belief, safety, submission to the will of Allah, good health with rain, abundant sustenance and without illnesses. O Lord, grant us the opportunity to fast during this month, perform salat (prayer) and recite the Holy Quran. O Lord, give it to us with safety, take it back from us with safety and grant us protection therein.’””

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 his father from abu Talib al-Sha‘raniy from Sulayman ibn Mu’alla’ ibn Khunays from his father who has said the following: “Once abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), asked about a man, when I was present, and it was said to him, ‘He has become very needy.’ He (the Imam) then asked, ‘What is he doing today?’ It was said, ‘He is in his home worshipping his Lord.’ He (the Imam) then asked, ‘Wherefrom he receives for his living?’ It was said, ’It comes from a certain one of his brothers.’ Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), then said, ‘By Allah, the one who provides him his living does a much more powerful worship than his worship.’”

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

5. Ahmad ibn ‘Abdallah from Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Barqi from certain persons of his people in a marfu‘ manner (rafa’ahu) from Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (a.s.) who has said the following. “Foolishness and arrogance are not found in the hearts of the scholars.”

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 ‘Isa from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from ‘Abd Allah ibn al-Mughirah from Muhammad ibn al-Fudayl from abu Hamzah who has said the following: “Abu Ja’far (a.s.), has said that one who works to earn his sustenance in this world so he would not need to spread his hands before people for help, to better the living conditions of his family and to show kindness to his neighbors will, on the Judgment Day, go before Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, with his face as bright as the full moon.’”

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

Through the same chain of narrators it is narrated from Muhammad ibn Khalid from Muhammad ibn Sinan in a marfu‘ manner that Jesus son of Mary (as) has said: “O disciples, I have a need that I request you to fulfill." They said, “Your request is granted, Oh Spirit of God.” Jesus then got up and washed their feet, the disciples then said, “It was upon us to serve you, Oh Spirit of God.” So he said, “Of the people who must serve others are the scholars, I acted in this humble way so that you will act among your people in a humble way as I acted before you.” Jesus then said, “With humbleness wisdom is formed, but not with arrogance. Just like how plants only grow on plains grounds, but not on mountains.”

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

6. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ibn Mahbub from abu Khalid al-Kufiy in a marfu’ manner from abu Ja’far who has said the following: “Abu Ja’far (a.s.), has said that the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has said, ‘Worship has seventy parts. The most excellent part in it is working to make lawful living.’”

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

7. Ali has narrated from his father, from Isma‘il ibn Marrar from Yunus from Ibrahim from Muhammad ibn Muslim and al-Husayn ibn Muhammad from Ahmad ibn Ishaq from Sa‘dan from abu Basir who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), would say this prayer during the month of Ramadan, ‘O Allah, I seek help from You and ask You for my needs. There are those who ask people for their needs, but I ask only You for my needs. You are (the only Lord). You have no partners. I ask You through Your generosity and Your pleasure to grant salawat (favors and compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause). Make it possible for me this year to visit Your respected House to perform a virtuous, accepted Hajj performed clean and purely for You. Make my eyes delighted and my position raised. Grant me the opportunity to control my eyes, my private parts from unlawful activities, and to stay away from unlawful matters, so that no other thing will be more preferable to me than obedience to You, humbleness before You, to act upon what You love, to stay away from what You dislike and whatever you have prohibited. Make this possible for me with ease and comfort and in good health. Grant me the ability to thank You for Your bounties You have given me. I appeal to You to make my death one of being murdered for Your cause, under the banner of Your prophet along with Your friends. I appeal before You to do away through me with Your enemies and the enemies of Your messenger. I appeal before You to grant me honor by humiliating whoever of Your creatures You like, but not through humiliating of any of Your friends. O Allah, make me to follow the path of Your messenger. Allah is sufficient for me in whatever Allah wants.”’

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 ‘Isma’il ibn Muhammad al-Minqariy from Hisham al- Saydalaniy who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), once said to me, £ 0 Hisham, even if you find yourself in the two armies facing each other to fight, you must not neglect working for your sustenance on such day.’”

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

9. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Al-Husayn ibn Ahmad from Shihab ibn ‘Abd Rabbihi who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), once said to me, ‘Even if you find enough reason to believe that this task (the rise of al-Qa’im with divine authority) will take place tomorrow, still you must not neglect work for a living. If you cannot complete the work do (what you can)”’

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

10. Humayd ibn Ziyad has narrated from al-Hassan ibn Muhammad ibn Sama‘ah from those whom he has mentioned from Aban from al-‘Ala’ who has said the following: “I heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), saying, ‘Why should anyone among you be weaker than an ant which pulls (food) to its colony?”’

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

11. Sahl ibn Ziyad has narrated from al-Haytham ibn abu Masruq from Muhammad ibn ’Umar ibn Bazi’ from Ahmad ibn ‘A’idh from Kulayb al-Saydawiy who has said the following: “This is concerning my question before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), to pray for me for sustenance; my affairs are turning to the worse.’ He (the Imam) quickly said, ‘No, you must go out and work to make a living.’”

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

3. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ibn Mahbub from Ali ibn Ri’ab from ‘Abd al-Salih, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, who has said the following: “Say the following prayer in the month of Ramadan to welcome the year. Whoever says this prayer, expecting reward for it (from Allah), and with sincerity, no illness or crisis will affect his religion or his body and Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, will protect him against all evil that may come in that year. ‘O Lord, I plead before You for help through Your name to which all things are close. I plead before You for help through Your kindness, which encompasses all things, through Your majesty with which You have subdued all things, through Your greatness before which all things express humbleness. I plead before You for help through Your power, before which all things are submissive, through the compelling power with which You are dominant over all things, and I plead before You for help through Your knowledge, which encompasses all things. O Light, O Holy, O the First before all things, O Ever Living after all things, O Allah, O Beneficent, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause and forgive my sins that change bounties. Forgive my sins, which bring upon me misfortune. Forgive my sins, which cutoff hope. Forgive my sins, which help enemies to dominate me. Forgive my sins because of which my prayers are rejected. Forgive my sins because of which I deserve to suffer by (heavenly) descending afflictions. Forgive my sins, which stop the rain from coming down from the sky. Forgive my sins, which uncover my privacy. Forgive my sins, which hasten the coming of destruction upon me. Forgive my sins, which make me regret; forgive my sins, which destroy innocence; and dress me with Your invincible shield at which no one is able to aim. Grant me protection against things of which I am afraid in the nights and days of the coming year. “0 Allah, Lord of the seven skies and seven earths and all that are between them, and Lord of the great Throne, Lord of seven (verses) read twice, Lord of the great Quran, Lord of Israfil, Michael, Gabriel and Lord of Muhammad and his family, master of the messengers, the seal of the prophets. I plead before you through Yourself and through that which is Your name. O the Great One who grants great favors and repels all difficulties, gives all appreciable matters, increases the virtuous matters because of very little deeds and a great many things, You do whatever You like. O powerful One, O Allah, O Beneficent, O Merciful, I plead before You to grant salawat (favors and compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause). Dress me during the remaining days of this year with Your covering. Dress my face with Your light, make me loveable through Your love, make me reach a status that will please You and Your honor and grace, Your appreciable favors of the best things with You and of the best rewards You bestow upon anyone of Your creatures. Dress me with good health from You. O the One before whom complaints are presented, I plead before You; O the One who is present during all secret conversations, I plead before You; O the One who has knowledge of all secret matters. O the One, who (has the power which) repels everything of the misfortune that You want to repel. I plead before You, O the One who forgives with grace. I plead before You, O the One who ignores shortcomings with goodness. Make me die as followers of the religion of Ibrahim and his discipline and in the religion of Muhammad following his noble tradition. Make me die in the best form of death. Make me die loving Your friends and as an enemy of Your enemies. “0 Allah, make me to stay away, during this year, from every deed, word or action that takes me away from You. O Allah, attract me toward every deed, word or action that takes me closer to You during this year. O Merciful, the Beneficent, stop me from doing every deed, act or saying any word whereby I fear harmful consequences and Your disliking, thereby turning Your face from me, and thereby I suffer a decrease in favors I can receive from You, O compassionate and merciful. “0 Allah, make me in the remaining days of this year to live in Your protection, neighborhood and shelter. Dress me with good health from You. Make Your grace to encompass me. Your neighborhood is valuable. Praise of Your face is glorious and no one besides You deserves worship. “ 0 Allah, make me a follower of the righteous people who lived before, of Your friends, and join me with them. Make me submissive to those who spoke the truth about You. I seek refuge with You, O my Lord, against being encompassed by my sins, my injustice, my excessive behavior against my soul, my following my desires and my lustful behavior which become a barrier between me and Your kindness, Your pleasure and thus I become forgotten in Your sight, exposed to Your displeasure and being despised. “ 0 Allah, grant me the opportunity to do such virtuous deeds with which You will be pleased and lead me closer to You in salvation. “ 0 Allah, just as you protected Your prophet, Muhammad, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, against fear from Your enemy, provided him ease, relieved him of his sadness, made your promise to come true for him, and Your appointment to take place. O Allah, in the same way protect me against frightening matters in this year and the misfortunes, illnesses, crisis, evils, sadness and financial constraints therein. Make me reach and enjoy through Your kindness perfect health, complete and continuous good health and bounties before me up to the time of my death. I appeal before You as one who has done injustice to himself and confessed his sins, and I appeal before You to forgive my sins in the past that Your keepers have listed and Your honorable scribes have counted against me. O Allah, grant me safety against sins in the remaining time of my life up to the time of my death. O Allah, O Beneficent, grant salawat (favors and compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause), and grant me my appeals for which I have expressed great hope before You. You have commanded me to appeal before You and have promised to grant my wishes.”’

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

5. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ‘Isma’il ibn Marrar from Yunus from Mu‘awiyah ibn ‘Am mar who has said the following: “Abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), when looking at the crescent of the month of Ramadan would say, “0 Allah, bring it (the month of Ramadan) upon us with peace and submission (to Your will), certainty, belief, virtue and good opportunity for whatever You love and consent with.’”

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

6. Yunus has narrated from Ali ibn abu Hamzah, from abu Basir who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that when the month of Ramadan begins, say this, ‘O Allah, the month of Ramadan has begun and You have made it obligatory upon us to fast during this month. You have revealed Your book in it as guidance for people, as the most clear guidance and means of discernment (between right and wrong). O Allah, help us to fast during this month. O Allah, accept it from us, grant us protection therein, receive it back from us with ease and good health. You have power over all things, O most Merciful, most Beneficent.’”

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

8. Ahmad ibn ‘ Abd Allah Muhammad from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn abu ‘ Abd Allah from Safwan from Khalid ibn Najih who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said, ‘Say Salam (greeting of peace) to whoever of your people you meet and say to them, “So and so son of so and so (the Imam) says Salam (greeting of peace).” Then say to them, “You must maintain piety before Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious. You must observe such issues through which you can receive whatever of the reward is with Allah. By Allah, I do not command you to do such things that we do not command our own souls to do. You must work hard and strive. After performing your morning Salat (prayer) you must go out early in the morning to work for your sustenance and seek lawful sustenance. Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, will grant you sustenance and assists you to find such sustenance.”’

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