وَدِدْتُ وَ اللَّهِ أَنِّي افْتَدَيْتُ خَصْلَتَيْنِ فِي الشِّيعَةِ لَنَا بِبَعْضِ لَحْمِ سَاعِدِي النَّزَقَ وَ قِلَّةَ الْكِتْمَانِ[1].
“I, by Allah, love to bail out two things in my followers with parts of my arms: their rush for quick response and lack of silence and restraint.”
قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع أُمِرَ النَّاسُ بِخَصْلَتَيْنِ فَضَيَّعُوهُمَا فَصَارُوا مِنْهُمَا[2] عَلَى غَيْرِ شَيْءٍ الصَّبْرِ وَ الْكِتْمَانِ.
“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘People were commanded to maintain two characteristics, for the loss of which they involved themselves into something else; they were patience and silent abstinence.”
قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَا سُلَيْمَانُ إِنَّكُمْ عَلَى دِينٍ مَنْ كَتَمَهُ أَعَزَّهُ اللَّهُ وَ مَنْ أَذَاعَهُ أَذَلَّهُ اللَّهُ.
“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) once said, ‘O Sulayman, you follow the religion of one for whose silent abstinence Allah grants him honor, but due to his loud publicity, Allah causes his humiliation. ’”
دَخَلْنَا عَلَيْهِ جَمَاعَةً- فَقُلْنَا يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ إِنَّا نُرِيدُ الْعِرَاقَ فَأَوْصِنَا فَقَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ ع لِيُقَوِّ شَدِيدُكُمْ ضَعِيفَكُمْ وَ لْيَعُدْ غَنِيُّكُمْ عَلَى فَقِيرِكُمْ وَ لَا تَبُثُّوا سِرَّنَا[3] وَ لَا تُذِيعُوا أَمْرَنَا وَ إِذَا جَاءَكُمْ عَنَّا حَدِيثٌ فَوَجَدْتُمْ عَلَيْهِ شَاهِداً أَوْ شَاهِدَيْنِ مِنْ كِتَابِ اللَّهِ فَخُذُوا بِهِ وَ إِلَّا فَقِفُوا عِنْدَهُ ثُمَّ رُدُّوهُ
“Once we in a group went to see abu Ja’far (a.s.) and said to him, ‘O descendent of the Messenger of Allah, we intend to travel to Iraq, and request your recommendations.’ Abu Ja’far (a.s.) said, ‘The stronger ones among you must support the weak ones, the well to do among you must reach out to the poor ones among you,
سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ إِنَّهُ لَيْسَ مِنِ احْتِمَالِ أَمْرِنَا التَّصْدِيقُ لَهُ وَ الْقَبُولُ فَقَطْ مِنِ احْتِمَالِ أَمْرِنَا سَتْرُهُ وَ صِيَانَتُهُ مِنْ غَيْرِ أَهْلِهِ فَأَقْرِئْهُمُ السَّلَامَ وَ قُلْ لَهُمْ رَحِمَ اللَّهُ عَبْداً اجْتَرَّ مَوَدَّةَ النَّاسِ إِلَى نَفْسِهِ[1] حَدِّثُوهُمْ بِمَا يَعْرِفُونَ وَ اسْتُرُوا عَنْهُمْ مَا يُنْكِرُونَ ثُمَّ قَالَ وَ اللَّهِ مَا النَّاصِبُ لَنَا حَر
“I heard Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) saying, ‘Just to affirm our cause is not enough to carry it. To bear our cause is to keep it concealed and protect it from those who do not support it. Convey the greeting of peace to them and tell them, “May Allah grant blessings to those who attract people’s love to himself, speak to the
قَالَ لِي مَا زَالَ سِرُّنَا مَكْتُوماً حَتَّى صَارَ فِي يَدَيْ وُلْدِ كَيْسَانَ[2] فَتَحَدَّثُوا بِهِ فِي الطَّرِيقِ وَ قُرَى السَّوَادِ[3].
“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) once said to me, ‘Our cause had still been hidden until the children of Kisan began to speak of it on the roads, villages and in large places.’”
سَمِعْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ع يَقُولُ وَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ أَحَبَّ أَصْحَابِي إِلَيَّ أَوْرَعُهُمْ وَ أَفْقَهُهُمْ وَ أَكْتَمُهُمْ لِحَدِيثِنَا وَ إِنَّ أَسْوَأَهُمْ عِنْدِي حَالًا وَ أَمْقَتَهُمْ لَلَّذِي[4] إِذَا سَمِعَ الْحَدِيثَ يُنْسَبُ إِلَيْنَا وَ يُرْوَى عَنَّا فَلَمْ يَقْبَلْهُ اشْمَأَزَّ مِنْهُ وَ جَحَدَهُ وَ كَفَّرَ مَنْ دَانَ بِهِ وَ هُوَ لَا يَدْرِي لَعَلَّ الْحَدِيثَ مِنْ عِنْدِنَا خَرَجَ وَ إِلَيْنَا أُسْنِد
7. It is narrated from him (narrator of the Hadith above) from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Mahbub from Jamil ibn Salih from abu ‘Ubaydah al- Hadhdha’ who has said the following: “I heard abu Ja’far (a.s.) saying, ‘By Allah, the most beloved to me of my companions are most restraining from the worldly attractions (sins)
قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَا مُعَلَّى اكْتُمْ أَمْرَنَا وَ لَا تُذِعْهُ فَإِنَّهُ مَنْ كَتَمَ أَمْرَنَا وَ لَمْ يُذِعْهُ أَعَزَّهُ اللَّهُ بِهِ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَ جَعَلَهُ نُوراً بَيْنَ عَيْنَيْهِ فِي الْآخِرَةِ يَقُودُهُ إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ يَا مُعَلَّى مَنْ أَذَاعَ أَمْرَنَا وَ لَمْ يَكْتُمْهُ أَذَلَّهُ اللَّهُ بِهِ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَ نَزَعَ النُّورَ مِنْ بَيْنِ عَيْنَيْهِ فِي الْآخِرَةِ وَ جَعَلَهُ ظُلْمَةً تَقُود
“Once Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) said to me, ‘O Mu’alla, conceal our cause and do not make it public; to those who conceal our cause and do not publicize it, Allah grants honor in this world. He will make it a light between his eyes in the next life and lead him to paradise. O Mu’alla, whoever publicizes our cause and does n
قَالَ لِي أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع أَخْبَرْتَ بِمَا أَخْبَرْتُكَ بِهِ أَحَداً قُلْتُ لَا إِلَّا سُلَيْمَانَ بْنَ خَالِدٍ قَالَ أَحْسَنْتَ أَ مَا سَمِعْتَ قَوْلَ الشَّاعِرِ- فَلَا يَعْدُوَنْ سِرِّي وَ سِرُّكَ ثَالِثاً أَلَا كُلُّ سِرٍّ جَاوَزَ اثْنَيْنِ شَائِعٌ .
“Once Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) asked me, ‘Did you tell anyone what I told you?’ I said, ‘No, I have not told anyone except Sulayman ibn Khalid.’ The Imam said, ‘Very good. Have you not heard the words of the poet: ‘Do not allow my secret and your secret pass to a third party. Is it not the case that a secret passing two pe
سَأَلْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا ع عَنْ مَسْأَلَةٍ فَأَبَى وَ أَمْسَكَ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَوْ أَعْطَيْنَاكُمْ كُلَّمَا[2] تُرِيدُونَ كَانَ شَرّاً لَكُمْ وَ أُخِذَ بِرَقَبَةِ صَاحِبِ هَذَا الْأَمْرِ قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ ع وَلَايَةُ اللَّهِ أَسَرَّهَا إِلَى جَبْرَئِيلَ ع وَ أَسَرَّهَا جَبْرَئِيلُ إِلَى مُحَمَّدٍ ص وَ أَسَرَّهَا مُحَمَّدٌ إِلَى عَلِيٍّ ع وَ أَسَرَّهَا عَلِيٌّ إِلَى مَنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ ثُمَّ أَنْتُمْ تُذِيعُون
Once I asked abu al-Hassan al-Rida (a.s.) a question. He refrained silently and said, ‘If we give you everything you want, it may become evil for you and the neck of the owner of this cause will be caught tight.’ “Abu Ja’far (a.s.) has said, ‘It is the guardianship of Allah, Who told it secretly to Jibril, who secretly
سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص طُوبَى لِعَبْدٍ نُوَمَةٍ[2] عَرَفَهُ اللَّهُ وَ لَمْ يَعْرِفْهُ النَّاسُ أُولَئِكَ مَصَابِيحُ الْهُدَى- وَ يَنَابِيعُ الْعِلْمِ يَنْجَلِي عَنْهُمْ كُلُّ فِتْنَةٍ مُظْلِمَةٍ لَيْسُوا بِالْمَذَايِيعِ الْبُذُرِ[3] وَ لَا بِالْجُفَاةِ الْمُرَاءِينَ.
“Tuba’ (a tree in paradise) is for a servant who is unknown to people but Allah knows him. Such people are the torches of guidance and the fountains of knowledge. Through them every darkening calamity brightens. They do not publicize undisclosed facts and they are not quarrelsome braggarts.’”
قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع طُوبَى لِكُلِّ عَبْدٍ نُوَمَةٍ لَا يُؤْبَهُ لَهُ يَعْرِفُ النَّاسَ وَ لَا يَعْرِفُهُ النَّاسُ يَعْرِفُهُ اللَّهُ مِنْهُ[4] بِرِضْوَانٍ أُولَئِكَ مَصَابِيحُ الْهُدَى يَنْجَلِي عَنْهُمْ كُلُّ فِتْنَةٍ مُظْلِمَةٍ وَ يُفْتَحُ لَهُمْ بَابُ كُلِّ رَحْمَةٍ لَيْسُوا بِالْبُذُرِ الْمَذَايِيعِ وَ لَا الْجُفَاةِ الْمُرَاءِينَ وَ قَالَ قُولُوا الْخَيْرَ تُعْرَفُوا بِهِ وَ اعْمَلُوا الْخَيْرَ تَكُ
“Amir al-Mu’minin (Ali ibn abu Talib) (a.s.) has said, ‘Tuba’ (a tree in paradise) is for every servant (of Allah) who is unnoticed among the people but knows people and they do not know him. Allah knows him from His side with happiness. They are the torches of guidance. Through them every darkening calamity is removed
قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع كُفُّوا أَلْسِنَتَكُمْ وَ الْزَمُوا بُيُوتَكُمْ فَإِنَّهُ لَا يُصِيبُكُمْ أَمْرٌ تَخُصُّونَ بِهِ أَبَداً وَ لَا تَزَالُ الزَّيْدِيَّةُ لَكُمْ وِقَاءً أَبَداً.
“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘Control your tongues and stay home, no one will ever disturb you in particular. Zaydi people are still a protection for you and they will always be as such.’”
إِنْ كَانَ فِي يَدِكَ هَذِهِ شَيْءٌ فَإِنِ اسْتَطَعْتَ أَنْ لَا تَعْلَمَ هَذِهِ فَافْعَلْ قَالَ وَ كَانَ عِنْدَهُ إِنْسَانٌ- فَتَذَاكَرُوا الْإِذَاعَةَ فَقَالَ احْفَظْ لِسَانَكَ تَعِزَّ وَ لَا تُمَكِّنِ النَّاسَ مِنْ قِيَادِ رَقَبَتِكَ فَتَذِلَّ.
“When there is something in one of your hands, if you can, do not allow the other hand to know about it.’ The narrator has said that there was a man in his presence and they discussed publicity. The Imam said, ‘Control your tongue and you will find honor and do not allow people to become in control of your neck to humi
إِنَّ أَمْرَنَا مَسْتُورٌ مُقَنَّعٌ بِالْمِيثَاقِ[1] فَمَنْ هَتَكَ عَلَيْنَا أَذَلَّهُ اللَّهُ.
“Our cause is hidden and veiled by the (Divine) covenant. Whoever disregards it against us Allah will humiliate him.”
سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ نَفَسُ الْمَهْمُومِ لَنَا الْمُغْتَمِّ لِظُلْمِنَا تَسْبِيحٌ وَ هَمُّهُ لِأَمْرِنَا عِبَادَةٌ وَ كِتْمَانُهُ لِسِرِّنَا جِهَادٌ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ قَالَ لِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ اكْتُبْ هَذَا بِالذَّهَبِ فَمَا كَتَبْتَ شَيْئاً أَحْسَنَ مِنْهُ.
“I heard Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) saying, ‘A breath with a sigh of concern and sadness due to injustice done to us is Tasbih (speaking of the glory of Allah) and one’s concern about our cause is worship, his concealing our secret is Jihad (hard work for the cause of Allah).”’ “Muhammad ibn Sa’id told me to write it down wi