كَانَ أَبِي ع يَقُولُ مَا مِنْ شَيْءٍ أَفْسَدَ لِلْقَلْبِ مِنْ خَطِيئَةٍ إِنَّ الْقَلْبَ لَيُوَاقِعُ الْخَطِيئَةَ فَمَا تَزَالُ بِهِ حَتَّى تَغْلِبَ عَلَيْهِ فَيُصَيِّرَ أَعْلَاهُ أَسْفَلَهُ[4].
“My father would say, ‘There is nothing more destructive to the heart than sins. The heart falls on sins and remains that way until sins subdue it and then it turns upside down.’”
فِي قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ- فَما أَصْبَرَهُمْ عَلَى النَّارِ[1] فَقَالَ مَا أَصْبَرَهُمْ عَلَى فِعْلِ مَا يَعْلَمُونَ[2] أَنَّهُ يُصَيِّرُهُمْ إِلَى النَّارِ.
“About the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, ‘What has made them remain so patient in the fire?’ (2:175) The Imam said, ‘What has made them so patiently do something that they know will lead them to the fire?”’
أَمَا إِنَّهُ لَيْسَ مِنْ عِرْقٍ يَضْرِبُ وَ لَا نَكْبَةٍ وَ لَا صُدَاعٍ وَ لَا مَرَضٍ إِلَّا بِذَنْبٍ وَ ذَلِكَ قَوْلُ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فِي كِتَابِهِ- وَ ما أَصابَكُمْ مِنْ مُصِيبَةٍ فَبِما كَسَبَتْ أَيْدِيكُمْ وَ يَعْفُوا عَنْ كَثِيرٍ[3] قَالَ ثُمَّ قَالَ وَ مَا يَعْفُو اللَّهُ أَكْثَرُ مِمَّا يُؤَاخِذُ بِهِ.
“No vein is injured, no failure takes place, no headache or illness occurs but because of the sin. This is mentioned in the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, ‘Whatever hardship befalls you is the result of your own deeds. Allah pardons many of your sins.’ (42:30) The Imam then said, ‘Allah forgives more
مَا مِنْ نَكْبَةٍ تُصِيبُ الْعَبْدَ إِلَّا بِذَنْبٍ وَ مَا يَعْفُو اللَّهُ عَنْهُ أَكْثَرُ.
“No failure ever takes place in the life of a servant (of Allah) except because of sin and that which Allah forgives him for is much more.”
كَانَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع يَقُولُ لَا تُبْدِيَنَّ عَنْ وَاضِحَةٍ[4] وَ قَدْ عَمِلْتَ الْأَعْمَالَ الْفَاضِحَةَ وَ لَا يَأْمَنِ الْبَيَاتَ مَنْ عَمِلَ السَّيِّئَاتِ[5].
“Amir al-Mu’minin, Ali ibn abu Talib (a.s.) has said, ‘You must never show your teeth (smile) when you have committed disgraceful deeds and never feel safe from misfortune to strike you due to (your) sinful deeds.’”
سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ تَعَوَّذُوا بِاللَّهِ مِنْ سَطَوَاتِ اللَّهِ بِاللَّيْلِ[6] وَ النَّهَارِ قَالَ قُلْتُ لَهُ وَ مَا سَطَوَاتُ اللَّهِ قَالَ الْأَخْذُ عَلَى الْمَعَاصِي.
“I heard Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) saying, ‘Seek refuge with Allah from His striking you at night or during the day.’ I (the narrator) asked him, ‘What is Allah’s striking?’ The Imam said, ‘It is Allah’s punishing for sins.’”
الذُّنُوبُ كُلُّهَا شَدِيدَةٌ وَ أَشَدُّهَا مَا نَبَتَ عَلَيْهِ اللَّحْمُ وَ الدَّمُ لِأَنَّهُ إِمَّا مَرْحُومٌ وَ إِمَّا مُعَذَّبٌ وَ الْجَنَّةُ لَا يَدْخُلُهَا إِلَّا طَيِّبٌ[1]
“All sins are intense and severe. The most severe is that which increases flesh and blood (consumption of unlawful foods). Sins are either forgiven or one is punished for and paradise is only for the clean ones to enter.”
إِنَّ الْعَبْدَ لَيُذْنِبُ الذَّنْبَ فَيُزْوَى[2] عَنْهُ الرِّزْقُ.
“A servant (of Allah) commits a sin it causes a serious reduction in his means of living.”
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص مَلْعُونٌ مَلْعُونٌ مَنْ عَبَدَ الدِّينَارَ وَ الدِّرْهَمَ مَلْعُونٌ مَلْعُونٌ مَنْ كَمِهَ أَعْمَى[3] مَلْعُونٌ مَلْعُونٌ مَنْ نَكَحَ بَهِيمَةً.
“The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘Condemned and condemned is one who worships Dirham and Dinar, condemned and condemned is one who is blind (toward the truth). Condemned and condemned is one who carries out carnal relations with animals.’”
سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ اتَّقُوا الْمُحَقَّرَاتِ مِنَ الذُّنُوبِ فَإِنَّ لَهَا طَالِباً يَقُولُ أَحَدُكُمْ أُذْنِبُ وَ أَسْتَغْفِرُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يَقُولُ- وَ نَكْتُبُ ما قَدَّمُوا وَ آثارَهُمْ وَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ أَحْصَيْناهُ فِي إِمامٍ مُبِينٍ[1] وَ قَالَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ- إِنَّها إِنْ تَكُ مِثْقالَ حَبَّةٍ مِنْ خَرْدَلٍ فَتَكُنْ فِي صَخْرَةٍ أَوْ فِي السَّماواتِ أَوْ فِي الْأَرْضِ يَأْتِ بِهَا اللَّهُ إِ
“I heard abu la’ far (a.s.) saying, ‘Stay away from insignificant sins because there is demand for them. One of you will say, ‘I sin and ask forgiveness.’ Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, has said, ‘It is We who bring the dead to life and record the deeds of human beings and their consequences (of continual eff
سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ إِنَّ الذَّنْبَ يَحْرِمُ الْعَبْدَ الرِّزْقَ.
“I heard Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) saying, ‘The sin deprives the servant (of Allah) of sustenance.’”
إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ لَيُذْنِبُ الذَّنْبَ فَيُدْرَأُ[3] عَنْهُ الرِّزْقُ وَ تَلَا هَذِهِ الْآيَةَ- إِذْ أَقْسَمُوا لَيَصْرِمُنَّها مُصْبِحِينَ وَ لا يَسْتَثْنُونَ فَطافَ عَلَيْها طائِفٌ مِنْ رَبِّكَ وَ هُمْ نائِمُونَ[4].
“A man commits a sin and it moves sustenance away from him and he (Imam) read this verse of the Holy Quran: ‘. . . when they swore to pluck all the fruits of the garden in the morning, (68:17) without adding, "if Allah wills" (18). A visitor (destruction) from your Lord circled (destroyed totally) around the garden dur
سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ إِذَا أَذْنَبَ الرَّجُلُ خَرَجَ فِي قَلْبِهِ نُكْتَةٌ سَوْدَاءُ فَإِنْ تَابَ انْمَحَتْ وَ إِنْ زَادَ زَادَتْ حَتَّى تَغْلِبَ عَلَى قَلْبِهِ فَلَا يُفْلِحُ بَعْدَهَا أَبَداً.
“I heard Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) saying, ‘When a man commits a sin a black dot appears in his heart. If he then repents, the dot will disappear, if he commits more sins it will increase until it will take over his heart and he then will never have salvation.’”
إِنَّ الْعَبْدَ يَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ الْحَاجَةَ فَيَكُونُ مِنْ شَأْنِهِ قَضَاؤُهَا إِلَى أَجَلٍ قَرِيبٍ أَوْ إِلَى وَقْتٍ بَطِيءٍ فَيُذْنِبُ الْعَبْدُ ذَنْباً فَيَقُولُ اللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى لِلْمَلَكِ لَا تَقْضِ حَاجَتَهُ وَ احْرِمْهُ إِيَّاهَا فَإِنَّهُ تَعَرَّضَ لِسَخَطِي وَ اسْتَوْجَبَ الْحِرْمَانَ مِنِّي.
‘When a servant (of Allah) prays, his prayer is supposed to be answered within a short or a longer time. The servant (of Allah) commits a sin and Allah, the Most Blessed, the Most High, says to the angel not to answer his prayer and deprive him; he is subjected to My anger and he deserves deprivation from Me.”
سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ إِنَّهُ مَا مِنْ سَنَةٍ أَقَلَّ مَطَراً مِنْ سَنَةٍ وَ لَكِنَّ اللَّهَ يَضَعُهُ حَيْثُ يَشَاءُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ إِذَا عَمِلَ قَوْمٌ بِالْمَعَاصِي صَرَفَ عَنْهُمْ مَا كَانَ قَدَّرَ لَهُمْ مِنَ الْمَطَرِ فِي تِلْكَ السَّنَةِ إِلَى غَيْرِهِمْ وَ إِلَى الْفَيَافِي وَ الْبِحَارِ[1] وَ الْجِبَالِ وَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَيُعَذِّبُ الْجُعَلَ فِي جُحْرِهَا[2] بِحَبْسِ الْمَطَرِ عَنِ الْأَرْضِ الَّتِ
“I heard abu Ja’far (a.s.) saying, ‘The amount of rain each year is the same but Allah sets it as He wills. When a people commit sins, Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, reduces their share of rain in that year and diverts it to other places such as open lands, oceans and mountains. Allah makes the beetles suffer
إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ يُذْنِبُ الذَّنْبَ فَيُحْرَمُ صَلَاةَ اللَّيْلِ وَ إِنَّ الْعَمَلَ السَّيِّئَ أَسْرَعُ فِي صَاحِبِهِ مِنَ السِّكِّينِ فِي اللَّحْمِ.
“A man commits sins and he is deprived of the prayer at night. The bad deed runs quicker (in a destructive way) into its owner than the sharp knife into the flesh.”
مَنْ هَمَّ بِسَيِّئَةٍ فَلَا يَعْمَلْهَا[3] فَإِنَّهُ رُبَّمَا عَمِلَ الْعَبْدُ السَّيِّئَةَ فَيَرَاهُ الرَّبُّ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى فَيَقُولُ وَ عِزَّتِي وَ جَلَالِي لَا أَغْفِرُ لَكَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ أَبَداً.
“One who thinks to commit a sin, must not commit it; perhaps a servant (of Allah) commits a sin and the Lord, the Most Blessed, the Most High, finds him in that condition. He will say, ‘I swear by my Majesty and Glory that I will never forgive you thereafter.’”
حَقٌّ عَلَى اللَّهِ أَنْ لَا يُعْصَى فِي دَارٍ إِلَّا أَضْحَاهَا لِلشَّمْسِ حَتَّى تُطَهِّرَهَا[4].
“It is a responsibility for Allah to expose the house wherein sin is committed, to the sun to cleanse it (subject it to ruination).”
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ع إِنَّ الْعَبْدَ لَيُحْبَسُ عَلَى ذَنْبٍ مِنْ ذُنُوبِهِ مِائَةَ عَامٍ وَ إِنَّهُ لَيَنْظُرُ إِلَى أَزْوَاجِهِ فِي الْجَنَّةِ يَتَنَعَّمْنَ.[5]
“The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘A servant (of Allah) may become imprisoned for a hundred years because of one of his sins. He will see his spouses enjoy blessings in paradise.’”
قَالَ: مَا مِنْ عَبْدٍ إِلَّا وَ فِي قَلْبِهِ نُكْتَةٌ بَيْضَاءُ فَإِذَا أَذْنَبَ ذَنْباً خَرَجَ فِي النُّكْتَةِ نُكْتَةٌ سَوْدَاءُ فَإِنْ تَابَ ذَهَبَ ذَلِكَ السَّوَادُ وَ إِنْ تَمَادَى فِي الذُّنُوبِ[1] زَادَ ذَلِكَ السَّوَادُ حَتَّى يُغَطِّيَ الْبَيَاضَ فَإِذَا غَطَّى الْبَيَاضَ لَمْ يَرْجِعْ صَاحِبُهُ إِلَى خَيْرٍ أَبَداً وَ هُوَ قَوْلُ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ- كَلَّا بَلْ رانَ عَلى قُلُوبِهِمْ ما كانُوا يَكْسِب
“In the heart of every servant (of Allah) there is a white dot. When he commits a sin a black dot appears in the white one. If he repents the black dot goes away, but if he continues committing sins the black dot enlarges until it covers the white dot and when the white dot is covered the person thereafter does not ret
قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع لَا تُبْدِيَنَّ عَنْ وَاضِحَةٍ[3] وَ قَدْ عَمِلْتَ الْأَعْمَالَ الْفَاضِحَةَ وَ لَا تَأْمَنِ الْبَيَاتَ وَ قَدْ عَمِلْتَ السَّيِّئَاتِ.
“Amir al-Mu’minin, Ali ibn abu Talib (a.s.) has said, ‘Do not show your teeth (smile) if you have committed disgraceful sins. Do not feel safe from misfortunes if you have performed evil deeds.’”
سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ كَانَ أَبِي ع يَقُولُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَضَى قَضَاءً حَتْماً أَلَّا يُنْعِمَ[5] عَلَى الْعَبْدِ بِنِعْمَةٍ فَيَسْلُبَهَا إِيَّاهُ حَتَّى يُحْدِثَ الْعَبْدُ ذَنْباً يَسْتَحِقُّ بِذَلِكَ النَّقِمَةَ.
‘My father has said, “Allah has made a firm decision not to take away the blessing that He has granted to a servant of His until he commits a sin that subjects him to misfortune.’”
سَأَلَ رَجُلٌ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ- فَقالُوا رَبَّنا باعِدْ بَيْنَ أَسْفارِنا وَ ظَلَمُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ الْآيَةَ فَقَالَ هَؤُلَاءِ قَوْمٌ كَانَتْ لَهُمْ قُرًى مُتَّصِلَةٌ يَنْظُرُ بَعْضُهُمْ إِلَى بَعْضٍ وَ أَنْهَارٌ جَارِيَةٌ وَ أَمْوَالٌ ظَاهِرَةٌ فَكَفَرُوا نِعَمَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ غَيَّرُوا مَا بِأَنْفُسِهِمْ مِنْ عَافِيَةِ اللَّهِ فَغَيَّرَ اللَّهُ مَا بِهِمْ مِنْ نِع
23. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ibn Mahbub from Jamil ibn Salih from Sadir who has said the following: “Once a man asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) about the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, ‘ . They said, “Lord, make the distances of our journeys longer.” They did injustice to themsel
سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ مَا أَنْعَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَى عَبْدٍ نِعْمَةً فَسَلَبَهَا إِيَّاهُ حَتَّى يُذْنِبَ ذَنْباً يَسْتَحِقُّ بِذَلِكَ السَّلْبَ.
“I heard Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) saying, ‘Allah does not take away the favor that He grants to a servant as long as he does not commit a sin that may subject him to losing Allah’s favor.’”
سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ بَعَثَ نَبِيّاً مِنْ أَنْبِيَائِهِ إِلَى قَوْمِهِ وَ أَوْحَى إِلَيْهِ أَنْ قُلْ لِقَوْمِكَ إِنَّهُ لَيْسَ مِنْ أَهْلِ قَرْيَةٍ وَ لَا أُنَاسٍ كَانُوا عَلَى طَاعَتِي فَأَصَابَهُمْ فِيهَا سَرَّاءُ فَتَحَوَّلُوا عَمَّا أُحِبُّ إِلَى مَا أَكْرَهُ إِلَّا تَحَوَّلْتُ لَهُمْ عَمَّا يُحِبُّونَ إِلَى مَا يَكْرَهُونَ وَ لَيْسَ مِنْ أَهْلِ قَرْيَةٍ وَ لَا أَه
“I heard Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) saying, ‘Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, sent a prophet to his people and inspired him to tell his people that the Lord says, ‘There has not been any inhabitants of a town or people who obeyed Me and lived happily and then changed from the condition that 1 loved to what I disliked
أَوْحَى اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ إِلَى نَبِيٍّ مِنَ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ إِذَا أُطِعْتُ رَضِيتُ وَ إِذَا رَضِيتُ بَارَكْتُ وَ لَيْسَ لِبَرَكَتِي نِهَايَةٌ وَ إِذَا عُصِيتُ غَضِبْتُ وَ إِذَا غَضِبْتُ لَعَنْتُ وَ لَعْنَتِي تَبْلُغُ السَّابِعَ مِنَ الْوَرَى[2].
26. Ali ibn Ibrahim al-Hashimi has narrated from his grandfather, Muhammad ibn al-Hassan ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Ubayd Allah from Sulayman al-Ja’fary from al- Rida (a.s.) who has said the following: “Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, sent revelation to one of the prophets that said, ‘When I am obeyed I become happy. W
إِنَّ أَحَدَكُمْ لَيَكْثُرُ بِهِ الْخَوْفُ مِنَ السُّلْطَانِ وَ مَا ذَلِكَ إِلَّا بِالذُّنُوبِ فَتَوَقَّوْهَا مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ وَ لَا تَمَادَوْا فِيهَا.
“You may feel afraid of a king because of your disobeying him. You must avoid it if you can and do not continue in such condition.”
قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع لَا وَجَعَ أَوْجَعُ لِلْقُلُوبِ مِنَ الذُّنُوبِ وَ لَا خَوْفَ أَشَدُّ مِنَ الْمَوْتِ وَ كَفَى بِمَا سَلَفَ تَفَكُّراً وَ كَفَى بِالْمَوْتِ وَاعِظاً.
“No pain is more painful to the heart than sins and there is no fear more intense than fear of death. Past experience is enough material for thinking and death is more than enough a preacher.”
سَمِعْتُ الرِّضَا ع يَقُولُ كُلَّمَا أَحْدَثَ الْعِبَادُ مِنَ الذُّنُوبِ مَا لَمْ يَكُونُوا يَعْمَلُونَ أَحْدَثَ اللَّهُ لَهُمْ مِنَ الْبَلَاءِ مَا لَمْ يَكُونُوا يَعْرِفُونَ.
“I heard al-Rida (a.s.) saying, ‘Whenever servants commit such sins that they had not committed before, Allah creates a new misfortune against them of which they had no knowledge.’”
يَقُولُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ إِذَا عَصَانِي مَنْ عَرَفَنِي سَلَّطْتُ عَلَيْهِ مَنْ لَا يَعْرِفُنِي.
“Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, has said, ‘When a person who knows Me commits a sin, I subject him to the troubles from one who does not know Me.’”
إِنَّ لِلَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فِي كُلِّ يَوْمٍ وَ لَيْلَةٍ مُنَادِياً يُنَادِي مَهْلًا مَهْلًا عِبَادَ اللَّهِ عَنْ مَعَاصِي اللَّهِ فَلَوْ لَا بَهَائِمُ رُتَّعٌ وَ صِبْيَةٌ رُضَّعٌ وَ شُيُوخٌ رُكَّعٌ لَصُبَّ عَلَيْكُمُ الْعَذَابُ صَبّاً تُرَضُّونَ بِهِ رَضّاً[1].
31. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ali ibn Asbat from ibn ‘Arafah from abu al-Hassan (a.s.) who has said the following: “Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, has an announcer who announces every day and night, ‘O servants of Allah, hold and stop committing sins and disobedience to All