Qualities of a Believer

يَنْبَغِي لِلْمُؤْمِنِ أَنْ يَكُونَ فِيهِ ثَمَانِي خِصَالٍ وَقُوراً عِنْدَ الْهَزَاهِزِ[1] صَبُوراً عِنْدَ الْبَلَاءِ شَكُوراً عِنْدَ الرَّخَاءِ قَانِعاً بِمَا رَزَقَهُ اللَّهُ- لَا يَظْلِمُ الْأَعْدَاءَ وَ لَا يَتَحَامَلُ لِلْأَصْدِقَاءِ بَدَنُهُ مِنْهُ فِي تَعَبٍ وَ النَّاسُ مِنْهُ فِي رَاحَةٍ إِنَّ الْعِلْمَ خَلِيلُ الْمُؤْمِنِ وَ الْحِلْمَ وَزِيرُهُ وَ الْعَقْلَ أَمِيرُ جُنُودِهِ وَ الرِّفْقَ أَخُوهُ وَ الْبِرَّ

“A believer should have eight qualities. He is dignified in turbulent times. He is patient in afflicting conditions. He is thankful in prosperous life. He is content with what Allah has granted him. He does not do injustice to the enemies. He does not overburden friends. His own body is tired due to his efforts and peo

قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ صَلَوَاتُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ‌ الْإِيمَانُ لَهُ أَرْكَانٌ أَرْبَعَةٌ التَّوَكُّلُ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَ تَفْوِيضُ الْأَمْرِ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَ الرِّضَا بِقَضَاءِ اللَّهِ وَ التَّسْلِيمُ لِأَمْرِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ.

“Amir al-Mu’minin (Ali ibn abu Talib) (a.s.) has said, ‘Belief has four corner (stones): They are trust in Allah, having Allah as the person in charge of one’s affairs, to agree with the decision of Allah and to submit to the command of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy.’”

إِنَّكُمْ لَا تَكُونُونَ صَالِحِينَ حَتَّى تَعْرِفُوا وَ لَا تَعْرِفُونَ حَتَّى تُصَدِّقُوا وَ لَا تُصَدِّقُونَ حَتَّى تُسَلِّمُوا أَبْوَاباً أَرْبَعَةً لَا يَصْلُحُ أَوَّلُهَا إِلَّا بِآخِرِهَا ضَلَّ أَصْحَابُ الثَّلَاثَةِ وَ تَاهُوا تَيْهاً بَعِيداً إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى لَا يَقْبَلُ إِلَّا الْعَمَلَ الصَّالِحَ وَ لَا يَتَقَبَّلُ اللَّهُ إِلَّا بِالْوَفَاءِ بِالشُّرُوطِ وَ الْعُهُودِ وَ مَنْ وَفَى الل

3. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from his father from those whom he has mentioned from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn abu Layla from his father from abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) who has said the following: “You will not become virtuous until you learn, you will not learn until you af

رَفَعَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص‌[4] قَوْمٌ فِي بَعْضِ غَزَوَاتِهِ فَقَالَ مَنِ الْقَوْمُ‌[5] فَقَالُوا مُؤْمِنُونَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ وَ مَا بَلَغَ مِنْ إِيمَانِكُمْ قَالُوا الصَّبْرُ عِنْدَ الْبَلَاءِ وَ الشُّكْرُ عِنْدَ الرَّخَاءِ وَ الرِّضَا بِالْقَضَاءِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص حُلَمَاءُ[6] عُلَمَاءُ كَادُوا مِنَ الْفِقْهِ أَنْ يَكُونُوا أَنْبِيَاءَ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ كَمَا تَصِفُونَ فَلَا تَبْنُوا مَا لَا تَسْ

“A people came to the Messenger of Allah during one of the armed expeditions and he asked who are these people? They said, ‘Believers, O Messenger of Allah.’ He then asked, ‘What is the degree of your belief?’ They replied, ‘It is patience in hardships, thankfulness in prosperous life and agreement with the decision of

خَطَبَنَا أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع فِي دَارِهِ أَوْ قَالَ فِي الْقَصْرِ وَ نَحْنُ مُجْتَمِعُونَ ثُمَّ أَمَرَ صَلَوَاتُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ فَكُتِبَ فِي كِتَابٍ وَ قُرِئَ عَلَى النَّاسِ وَ رَوَى غَيْرُهُ أَنَّ ابْنَ الْكَوَّاءِ[2] سَأَلَ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع عَنْ صِفَةِ الْإِسْلَامِ وَ الْإِيمَانِ وَ الْكُفْرِ وَ النِّفَاقِ فَقَالَ أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى- شَرَعَ الْإِسْلَامَ وَ سَهَّلَ شَ

1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Muhammad ibn Yahya from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa and a number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid all from al-Hassan ibn Mahbub from Ya’qub al-Sarraj from Jabir from Abu Ja’far (a.s.) and through various chain of narrators from Asbagh ib