Speak of and Remember the Brothers (in belief)

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‌ شِيعَتُنَا الرُّحَمَاءُ بَيْنَهُمُ‌[1] الَّذِينَ إِذَا خَلَوْا ذَكَرُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ ذِكْرَنَا مِنْ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ إِنَّا إِذَا ذُكِرْنَا ذُكِرَ اللَّهُ وَ إِذَا ذُكِرَ عَدُوُّنَا ذُكِرَ الشَّيْطَانُ.

“I heard Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) saying, ‘Our Shi’a are compassionate to each other. When alone they speak of and remember Allah. To speak of us is to speak of Allah. When we are mentioned Allah is mentioned, but when our enemies are spoken of it is like speaking of Satan.’”

تَزَاوَرُوا فَإِنَّ فِي زِيَارَتِكُمْ إِحْيَاءً لِقُلُوبِكُمْ وَ ذِكْراً لِأَحَادِيثِنَا وَ أَحَادِيثُنَا تُعَطِّفُ بَعْضَكُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ‌[2] فَإِنْ أَخَذْتُمْ بِهَا رَشَدْتُمْ وَ نَجَوْتُمْ وَ إِنْ تَرَكْتُمُوهَا ضَلَلْتُمْ وَ هَلَكْتُمْ فَخُذُوا بِهَا وَ أَنَا بِنَجَاتِكُمْ زَعِيمٌ.

“Visit each other; in it there is a revival for your hearts and a study of our Ahadith (may take place). Our Ahadith helps you to be kind to each other. If you follow them you will find guidance and salvation in them. If you disregard them you will go astray and be destroyed. Therefore, follow them and I will assure yo

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع إِنِّي مَرَرْتُ بِقَاصٍّ يَقُصُ‌[3] وَ هُوَ يَقُولُ هَذَا الْمَجْلِسُ الَّذِي لَا يَشْقَى بِهِ جَلِيسٌ قَالَ فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع هَيْهَاتَ هَيْهَاتَ أَخْطَأَتْ‌[4] أَسْتَاهُهُمُ الْحُفْرَةَ إِنَّ لِلَّهِ مَلَائِكَةً سَيَّاحِينَ سِوَى الْكِرَامِ الْكَاتِبِينَ فَإِذَا مَرُّوا بِقَوْمٍ- يَذْكُرُونَ مُحَمَّداً وَ آلَ مُحَمَّدٍ قَالُوا قِفُوا فَقَدْ أَصَبْتُمْ حَاجَتَكُمْ فَيَجْل

“I said to Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) ‘Once I passed by a storyteller who said to his audience, “This is a gathering whose attendants do not suffer wickedness.’” The narrator has said that Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) then said, ‘How extremely far is it from reality!’ You passed by the wrong gathering. (Astahahum al- Hufrah) How ter

إِنَّ مِنَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ الَّذِينَ فِي السَّمَاءِ لَيَطَّلِعُونَ إِلَى الْوَاحِدِ وَ الِاثْنَيْنِ وَ الثَّلَاثَةِ وَ هُمْ يَذْكُرُونَ فَضْلَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ قَالَ فَتَقُولُ أَ مَا تَرَوْنَ إِلَى هَؤُلَاءِ فِي قِلَّتِهِمْ وَ كَثْرَةِ عَدُوِّهِمْ يَصِفُونَ فَضْلَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ ص قَالَ فَتَقُولُ الطَّائِفَةُ الْأُخْرَى مِنَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ ذلِكَ فَضْلُ اللَّهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَنْ يَشاءُ وَ اللَّهُ ذُو الْفَضْلِ الْعَظِيمِ‌.

“Certain angels of heaven look at one, two or three people on earth speak of the excellence and praise of Muhammad and his family and they say, ‘Look the small number of these people, their enemies so numerous, they still speak of the praise of Muhammad and his family, recipients of divine supreme covenant.’ The Imam t

قَالَ لِي أَ تَخْلُونَ وَ تَتَحَدَّثُونَ وَ تَقُولُونَ مَا شِئْتُمْ فَقُلْتُ إِي وَ اللَّهِ إِنَّا لَنَخْلُو وَ نَتَحَدَّثُ وَ نَقُولُ مَا شِئْنَا فَقَالَ أَمَا وَ اللَّهِ لَوَدِدْتُ أَنِّي مَعَكُمْ فِي بَعْضِ تِلْكَ الْمَوَاطِنِ أَمَا وَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي لَأُحِبُّ رِيحَكُمْ وَ أَرْوَاحَكُمْ وَ إِنَّكُمْ عَلَى دِينِ اللَّهِ وَ دِينِ مَلَائِكَتِهِ فَأَعِينُوا بِوَرَعٍ وَ اجْتِهَادٍ.

“Once abu Ja’far (a.s.) asked me, ‘Do you hold private gatherings wherein you say whatever you want?’ I said, ‘Yes, I swear by Allah, we hold private gatherings and say whatever we like to say (in praise of Muhammad and his family).’ The Imam said, ‘I swear by Allah, I wish I could be with you at such gatherings. I swe

مَا اجْتَمَعَ ثَلَاثَةٌ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فَصَاعِداً إِلَّا حَضَرَ مِنَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ مِثْلُهُمْ فَإِنْ دَعَوْا بِخَيْرٍ أَمَّنُوا وَ إِنِ اسْتَعَاذُوا مِنْ شَرٍّ دَعَوُا اللَّهَ لِيَصْرِفَهُ عَنْهُمْ وَ إِنْ سَأَلُوا حَاجَةً تَشَفَّعُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ وَ سَأَلُوهُ قَضَاءَهَا وَ مَا اجْتَمَعَ ثَلَاثَةٌ مِنَ الْجَاحِدِينَ إِلَّا حَضَرَهُمْ عَشَرَةُ أَضْعَافِهِمْ مِنَ الشَّيَاطِينِ فَإِنْ تَكَلَّمُوا تَكَلَّمَ الشَّي

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘Wherever three or more believing people gather together an equal number of angels also attend it (gathering). If they pray for a good purpose the angels say Amen! If they seek protection (from Allah) against an evil matter, the angels pray to Allah to divert it from them. If they pray

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ ع يَقُولُ‌ لَيْسَ شَيْ‌ءٌ أَنْكَى‌[2] لِإِبْلِيسَ وَ جُنُودِهِ مِنْ زِيَارَةِ الْإِخْوَانِ فِي اللَّهِ بَعْضِهِمْ لِبَعْضٍ قَالَ وَ إِنَّ الْمُؤْمِنَيْنِ يَلْتَقِيَانِ فَيَذْكُرَانِ اللَّهَ ثُمَّ يَذْكُرَانِ فَضْلَنَا أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ فَلَا يَبْقَى عَلَى وَجْهِ إِبْلِيسَ مُضْغَةُ لَحْمٍ إِلَّا تَخَدَّدُ[3] حَتَّى إِنَّ رُوحَهُ لَتَسْتَغِيثُ مِنْ شِدَّةِ مَا يَجِدُ مِنَ الْأَلَمِ فَتَحُسُّ مَل

“I heard abu al-Hassan (a.s.) saying, ‘There is nothing more injurious to Satan and his soldiers than believing people’s visitation of their brothers (in belief) for the sake of Allah.’ The Imam said, ‘When believing people meet each other, speak of Allah and speak of the praise and excellence of AM al-Bayt, all the fl