To Revive the Believer

قُلْتُ لَهُ قَوْلُ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ- مَنْ قَتَلَ نَفْساً بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ‌ فَكَأَنَّما قَتَلَ النَّاسَ جَمِيعاً وَ مَنْ أَحْياها فَكَأَنَّما أَحْيَا النَّاسَ جَمِيعاً[4] قَالَ مَنْ أَخْرَجَهَا مِنْ ضَلَالٍ إِلَى هُدًى فَكَأَنَّمَا أَحْيَاهَا وَ مَنْ أَخْرَجَهَا مِنْ هُدًى إِلَى ضَلَالٍ فَقَدْ قَتَلَهَا.

“I asked him about the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, ‘. . . We made it a law for the children of Israel that the killing of a person for reasons other than legal retaliation or for stopping corruption in the land is as great a sin as murdering all of mankind. However, to save a life would be as grea

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع قَوْلُ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فِي كِتَابِهِ- وَ مَنْ أَحْياها فَكَأَنَّما أَحْيَا النَّاسَ جَمِيعاً- قَالَ مِنْ حَرَقٍ أَوْ غَرَقٍ قُلْتُ فَمَنْ أَخْرَجَهَا مِنْ ضَلَالٍ إِلَى هُدًى قَالَ ذَاكَ تَأْوِيلُهَا الْأَعْظَمُ. - مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ وَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ابْنَيْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنْ أَبَانٍ‌ مِثْلَهُ.

“I asked abu Ja’far (a.s.) about the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, in His book, ‘ ... to save a life is as great a virtue as to save all of mankind. . . .’ (5:32) The Imam said, ‘It refers to burning or drowning someone.’ I asked, ‘What if someone takes him out of straying to guidance?’ The Imam sai

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع أَسْأَلُكَ أَصْلَحَكَ اللَّهُ فَقَالَ نَعَمْ فَقُلْتُ كُنْتُ عَلَى حَالٍ وَ أَنَا الْيَوْمَ عَلَى حَالٍ أُخْرَى كُنْتُ أَدْخُلُ الْأَرْضَ فَأَدْعُو الرَّجُلَ وَ الِاثْنَيْنِ وَ الْمَرْأَةَ فَيُنْقِذُ اللَّهُ مَنْ شَاءَ[1] وَ أَنَا الْيَوْمَ لَا أَدْعُو أَحَداً فَقَالَ وَ مَا عَلَيْكَ أَنْ تُخَلِّيَ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ وَ بَيْنَ رَبِّهِمْ‌[2] فَمَنْ أَرَادَ اللَّهُ أَنْ يُخْرِجَهُ مِنْ ظُلْ

“Once I said to Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) ‘Can I ask you a question, may Allah keep you well?’ He said, ‘Yes you may do so.’ I said, ‘I was in a particular condition and today I am in another condition. I would go in the land to invite one or two men and women (to our belief) and Allah would save whomever He wanted. Today I