The Book of Belief and Disbelief

لَمَّا حَضَرَ عَلِيَّ بْنَ الْحُسَيْنِ ع الْوَفَاةُ ضَمَّنِي إِلَى صَدْرِهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ يَا بُنَيَّ أُوصِيكَ بِمَا أَوْصَانِي بِهِ أَبِي ع حِينَ حَضَرَتْهُ الْوَفَاةُ وَ بِمَا ذَكَرَ أَنَّ أَبَاهُ أَوْصَاهُ بِهِ قَالَ يَا بُنَيَّ إِيَّاكَ وَ ظُلْمَ مَنْ لَا يَجِدُ عَلَيْكَ نَاصِراً إِلَّا اللَّهَ.

“When Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.) was about to pass away he held me to his chest and then said, ‘My son, I make my will to you as my father did to me when he was about to pass away and that which his father willed to him. ’ He said, ‘My son, beware of the kind of injustice against which the oppressed cannot find any suppo

قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ص‌ مَنْ خَافَ الْقِصَاصَ كَفَّ عَنْ ظُلْمِ النَّاسِ.

“Amir al-Mu’minin, Ali ibn abu Talib (a.s.) has said, ‘Whoever is afraid of retaliation should stay away from doing injustice to people.’”

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ مَنْ أَصْبَحَ لَا يَنْوِي ظُلْمَ أَحَدٍ غَفَرَ اللَّهُ لَهُ مَا أَذْنَبَ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمَ مَا لَمْ يَسْفِكْ دَماً أَوْ يَأْكُلْ مَالَ يَتِيمٍ حَرَاماً.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘Whoever rises in the morning without any intention of doing injustice to anyone, Allah forgives his sins that day unless it is a murder or consuming the property of the orphans unjustly.’”

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ مَنْ أَصْبَحَ لَا يَهُمُّ بِظُلْمِ أَحَدٍ غَفَرَ اللَّهُ مَا اجْتَرَمَ.

“The messenger of Allah has said, ‘Whoever rises in the morning without any intention of doing injustice to anyone, Allah forgives his sins.”

مَنْ ظَلَمَ مَظْلِمَةً أُخِذَ بِهَا فِي نَفْسِهِ أَوْ فِي مَالِهِ أَوْ فِي وُلْدِهِ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘Whoever does injustice (financially), it (recompense) is taken from his life, property or his children.”

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ اتَّقُوا الظُّلْمَ فَإِنَّهُ ظُلُمَاتُ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ.

“The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘Beware of doing injustice; on the Day of Judgment there will be much darkness.’”

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ اتَّقُوا الظُّلْمَ فَإِنَّهُ ظُلُمَاتُ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ.

“The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘Be afraid of doing injustice; on the Day of Judgment there will be much darkness.’”

مَا مِنْ أَحَدٍ يَظْلِمُ بِمَظْلِمَةٍ إِلَّا أَخَذَهُ اللَّهُ بِهَا فِي نَفْسِهِ وَ مَالِهِ وَ أَمَّا الظُّلْمُ الَّذِي بَيْنَهُ وَ بَيْنَ اللَّهِ فَإِذَا تَابَ غَفَرَ اللَّهُ لَهُ.

“Abu Ja’far (a.s.) has said, ‘Whoever does injustice (financially) Allah takes it (recompense) from his life or property. However, the injustice that is between him and Allah, Allah forgives it if he repents.’”

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ مُبْتَدِئاً مَنْ ظَلَمَ سَلَّطَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ مَنْ يَظْلِمُهُ [أَوْ عَلَى عَقِبِهِ‌] أَوْ عَلَى عَقِبِ عَقِبِهِ قُلْتُ هُوَ يَظْلِمُ فَيُسَلِّطُ اللَّهُ عَلَى عَقِبِهِ أَوْ عَلَى عَقِبِ عَقِبِهِ فَقَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يَقُولُ- وَ لْيَخْشَ الَّذِينَ لَوْ تَرَكُوا مِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ ذُرِّيَّةً ضِعافاً خافُوا عَلَيْهِمْ فَلْيَتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَ لْيَقُولُوا قَوْلًا سَدِيداً[1].

“Once Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) on his own initiation said, ‘Whoever does injustice, Allah makes someone to dominate him or his descendents of first or second generations.’ I then asked, ‘It is he who has done injustice, how will Allah make his descendents suffer?’ The Imam said, ‘Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, sa

إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ أَوْحَى إِلَى نَبِيٍّ مِنْ أَنْبِيَائِهِ فِي مَمْلَكَةِ جَبَّارٍ مِنَ الْجَبَّارِينَ أَنِ ائْتِ هَذَا الْجَبَّارَ فَقُلْ لَهُ إِنَّنِي لَمْ أَسْتَعْمِلْكَ عَلَى سَفْكِ الدِّمَاءِ وَ اتِّخَاذِ الْأَمْوَالِ وَ إِنَّمَا اسْتَعْمَلْتُكَ لِتَكُفَّ عَنِّي أَصْوَاتَ الْمَظْلُومِينَ فَإِنِّي لَمْ أَدَعْ ظُلَامَتَهُمْ وَ إِنْ كَانُوا كُفَّاراً[1].

14. It is narrated from him (narrator of the Hadith above) from ibn Mahbub from Ishaq ibn ‘Ammar from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, sent revelations to one of His prophets who lived in the time of an oppressive and tyranical ruler. It said, ‘Tell this tyrant,

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‌ مَنْ أَكَلَ مَالَ أَخِيهِ ظُلْماً وَ لَمْ يَرُدَّهُ إِلَيْهِ أَكَلَ جَذْوَةً مِنَ النَّارِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ[2].

“I heard Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) saying, ‘Whoever consumes the property of his brother (in belief) unjustly and does not return it to him, he will have to eat a chunk of fire on the Day of Judgment.’”

الْعَامِلُ بِالظُّلْمِ وَ الْمُعِينُ لَهُ وَ الرَّاضِي بِهِ شُرَكَاءُ ثَلَاثَتُهُمْ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘One acting unjustly, his supporter, and one who agrees with such act are three partners.’”

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‌ إِنَّ الْعَبْدَ لَيَكُونُ مَظْلُوماً فَمَا يَزَالُ يَدْعُو- حَتَّى يَكُونَ ظَالِماً[1].

“I heard Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) saying, ‘A servant (of Allah) may become oppressed and continues praying against the oppressor until he himself becomes an oppressor (for excessive praying against him).”’

قَالَ: مَنْ عَذَرَ ظَالِماً بِظُلْمِهِ سَلَّطَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ مَنْ يَظْلِمُهُ‌[3] فَإِنْ دَعَا لَمْ يَسْتَجِبْ لَهُ وَ لَمْ يَأْجُرْهُ اللَّهُ عَلَى ظُلَامَتِهِ.

“Whoever finds excuses for an unjust person Allah gives power to another person who will oppress him. If he prays, his prayers will not be heard and Allah will not give him any reward for his suffering injustice.”

قَالَ: مَا انْتَصَرَ اللَّهُ مِنْ ظَالِمٍ إِلَّا بِظَالِمٍ وَ ذَلِكَ قَوْلُهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ- وَ كَذلِكَ نُوَلِّي‌ بَعْضَ الظَّالِمِينَ بَعْضاً[4].

“Allah retaliates an oppressor through another oppressor only. It is in the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, ‘Thus do We make the unjust friends of one another because of their evil deeds.’” (6:129)

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ مَنْ ظَلَمَ أَحَداً فَفَاتَهُ فَلْيَسْتَغْفِرِ اللَّهَ لَهُ فَإِنَّهُ كَفَّارَةٌ لَهُ.

“The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘If one does injustice to a person and he passes away, he (the doer of injustice) must ask forgiveness from Allah for him (oppressed) and it will be the expiation for his injustice.’”

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ مَنْ أَصْبَحَ وَ هُوَ لَا يَهُمُّ بِظُلْمِ أَحَدٍ غَفَرَ اللَّهُ لَهُ مَا اجْتَرَمَ.

“The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘Whoever rises in the morning and has no intention to do injustice to anyone Allah forgives his sins.”

دَخَلَ رَجُلَانِ عَلَى أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع فِي مُدَارَاةٍ بَيْنَهُمَا وَ مُعَامَلَةٍ فَلَمَّا أَنْ سَمِعَ كَلَامَهُمَا قَالَ أَمَا إِنَّهُ مَا ظَفِرَ أَحَدٌ بِخَيْرٍ مِنْ ظَفَرٍ بِالظُّلْمِ أَمَا إِنَّ الْمَظْلُومَ يَأْخُذُ مِنْ دِينِ الظَّالِمِ أَكْثَرَ مِمَّا يَأْخُذُ الظَّالِمُ مِنْ مَالِ الْمَظْلُومِ ثُمَّ قَالَ مَنْ يَفْعَلِ الشَّرَّ بِالنَّاسِ فَلَا يُنْكِرِ الشَّرَّ إِذَا فُعِلَ بِهِ أَمَا إِنَّهُ إِنَّمَا

“Once two people came to see Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) about the differences that they had over a deal between them and when the Imam heard their case, he said, ‘To achieve victory through injustice is not victory in anything good. What the oppressed takes away from the religion of the oppressor is much more than what the o

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ مَنْ خَافَ الْقِصَاصَ كَفَّ عَنْ ظُلْمِ النَّاسِ.

“The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘One who is afraid of retaliation does not do injustice to people.’”

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‌ احْذَرُوا أَهْوَاءَكُمْ كَمَا تَحْذَرُونَ أَعْدَاءَكُمْ فَلَيْسَ شَيْ‌ءٌ أَعْدَى لِلرِّجَالِ مِنِ اتِّبَاعِ أَهْوَائِهِمْ وَ حَصَائِدِ أَلْسِنَتِهِمْ‌[1].

“I heard Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) saying, ‘Be afraid of your desires just as you fear your enemies. Nothing is a more dangerous enemy to men than following their desires and what their tongues harvest.’”

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ يَقُولُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ عِزَّتِي وَ جَلَالِي وَ عَظَمَتِي وَ كِبْرِيَائِي وَ نُورِي وَ عُلُوِّي وَ ارْتِفَاعِ مَكَانِي لَا يُؤْثِرُ عَبْدٌ هَوَاهُ عَلَى هَوَايَ إِلَّا شَتَّتُّ عَلَيْهِ أَمْرَهُ‌[2] وَ لَبَّسْتُ عَلَيْهِ دُنْيَاهُ وَ شَغَلْتُ قَلْبَهُ بِهَا وَ لَمْ أُؤْتِهِ مِنْهَا إِلَّا مَا قَدَّرْتُ لَهُ وَ عِزَّتِي وَ جَلَالِي وَ عَظَمَتِي وَ نُورِي وَ عُلُوِّي وَ ارْتِفَاعِ مَك

2. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from his father from ‘Abd Allah ibn al-Qasim from abu Hamza from abu la’ far (a.s.) who has said the following: “The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, has said, ‘By My Majesty, Glory, Greatness, Supremacy, My

قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع‌ إِنَّمَا أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمُ اثْنَتَيْنِ- اتِّبَاعَ الْهَوَى وَ طُولَ الْأَمَلِ أَمَّا اتِّبَاعُ الْهَوَى فَإِنَّهُ يَصُدُّ عَنِ الْحَقِّ وَ أَمَّا طُولُ الْأَمَلِ فَيُنْسِي الْآخِرَةَ.

‘I am afraid for you from two things: following your desires and your never ending hopes of worldly matters; following of desires obstructs one from the truth and never ending hope in worldly matters makes one forget the hereafter.’”

قَالَ لِي أَبُو الْحَسَنِ ع‌ اتَّقِ الْمُرْتَقَى السَّهْلَ إِذَا كَانَ مُنْحَدَرُهُ وَعْراً[1] قَالَ وَ كَانَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ لَا تَدَعِ النَّفْسَ وَ هَوَاهَا- فَإِنَّ هَوَاهَا فِي رَدَاهَا[2] وَ تَرْكُ النَّفْسِ وَ مَا تَهْوَى أَذَاهَا وَ كَفُّ النَّفْسِ عَمَّا تَهْوَى دَوَاهَا.

“Abu al-Hassan (a.s.) once said to me, ‘Beware of an easy climb up that has a very deep and steep climb down.’ “The narrator has said that Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) would say, ‘Do not leave the soul with its desires unguarded; its desires are to destroy it. Leaving the soul with its desires unguarded is hurting the soul, h

قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع‌ لَوْ لَا أَنَّ الْمَكْرَ وَ الْخَدِيعَةَ فِي النَّارِ لَكُنْتُ أَمْكَرَ النَّاسِ‌[3].

“Amir al-Mu’minin, Ali ibn abu Talib (a.s.) has said, ‘Had evil planning and deceit not been in the fire, I would have been extremely skillful in evil planning.’”

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ يَجِي‌ءُ كُلُّ غَادِرٍ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ بِإِمَامٍ مَائِلٍ شِدْقُهُ‌[1] حَتَّى يَدْخُلَ النَّارَ وَ يَجِي‌ءُ كُلُّ نَاكِثٍ بَيْعَةَ إِمَامٍ أَجْذَمَ حَتَّى يَدْخُلَ النَّارَ.

“The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘On the Day of Judgment all the treacherous people will come with a leader, his mouth badly deformed, and end up in the fire. All those breaking out allegiance of the Imam also will come with their hand cut off and end up in the fire.’”

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ لَيْسَ مِنَّا مَنْ مَاكَرَ مُسْلِماً.

“The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘One who makes evil plans against a Muslim is not from us.’”

سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ قَرْيَتَيْنِ‌[2] مِنْ أَهْلِ الْحَرْبِ لِكُلِّ وَاحِدَةٍ مِنْهُمَا مَلِكٌ عَلَى حِدَةٍ اقْتَتَلُوا ثُمَّ اصْطَلَحُوا ثُمَّ إِنَّ أَحَدَ الْمَلِكَيْنِ غَدَرَ بِصَاحِبِهِ فَجَاءَ إِلَى الْمُسْلِمِينَ فَصَالَحَهُمْ عَلَى أَنْ يَغْزُوَ مَعَهُمْ‌[3] تِلْكَ الْمَدِينَةَ فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع لَا يَنْبَغِي لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ أَنْ يَغْدِرُوا وَ لَا يَأْمُرُوا بِالْغَدْرِ وَ لَا يُقَاتِلُوا مَعَ الَّذِين

“Once I asked Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) ‘There are two towns of the people in the state of war against the Muslims. Each town has a king. They had a war and then made peace. Thereafter one king acted treacherously against the other king, came to the Muslims and made peace to help him against the other town.’ Abu ‘Abd Allah

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ يَجِي‌ءُ كُلُّ غَادِرٍ بِإِمَامٍ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ مَائِلًا شِدْقُهُ حَتَّى يَدْخُلَ النَّارَ

“The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘On the Day of Judgment all the treacherous people will come with an Imam whose mouth will be badly deformed and end up in the fire.’”

قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع‌ ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ وَ هُوَ يَخْطُبُ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ بِالْكُوفَةِ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ لَوْ لَا كَرَاهِيَةُ الْغَدْرِ كُنْتُ مِنْ أَدْهَى النَّاسِ أَلَا إِنَّ لِكُلِّ غُدَرَةٍ فُجَرَةً وَ لِكُلِّ فُجَرَةٍ كُفَرَةً[2] أَلَا وَ إِنَّ الْغَدْرَ وَ الْفُجُورَ وَ الْخِيَانَةَ فِي النَّارِ.

“Amir al-Mu’minin, Ali ibn abu Talib (a.s.) one day in his speech from the pulpit in al- Kufah said, ‘O people, were it not for my intense dislike of treachery I could have been the most clever among people. You must know that in every act of treachery there is a sin of disbelief. You must also know that treachery, sin

قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ ع‌ يَا أَبَا النُّعْمَانِ لَا تَكْذِبْ عَلَيْنَا كَذِبَةً فَتُسْلَبَ الْحَنِيفِيَّةَ وَ لَا تَطْلُبَنَّ أَنْ تَكُونَ رَأْساً فَتَكُونَ ذَنَباً وَ لَا تَسْتَأْكِلِ النَّاسَ بِنَا فَتَفْتَقِرَ فَإِنَّكَ مَوْقُوفٌ لَا مَحَالَةَ وَ مَسْئُولٌ فَإِنْ صَدَقْتَ صَدَّقْنَاكَ وَ إِنْ كَذَبْتَ كَذَّبْنَاكَ.

“Once abu Ja’far (a.s.) said to me, ‘O abu al-Nu’man, do not forge lies against us; it removes (your) true belief. Do not seek to be the head to become a sin and do not use people as means of your earning through us; it will make you poor. You will be held accountable and will be stopped for interrogations. If you spea

كَانَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ ص يَقُولُ لِوُلْدِهِ‌ اتَّقُوا الْكَذِبَ الصَّغِيرَ مِنْهُ وَ الْكَبِيرَ فِي كُلِّ جِدٍّ وَ هَزْلٍ فَإِنَّ الرَّجُلَ إِذَا كَذَبَ فِي الصَّغِيرِ اجْتَرَى عَلَى الْكَبِيرِ أَ مَا عَلِمْتُمْ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص قَالَ مَا يَزَالُ الْعَبْدُ يَصْدُقُ حَتَّى يَكْتُبَهُ اللَّهُ صِدِّيقاً وَ مَا يَزَالُ الْعَبْدُ يَكْذِبُ حَتَّى يَكْتُبَهُ اللَّهُ كَذَّاباً.

“Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.) would say to his children, ‘Be on your guard against lies, the small lies and the bigger lies in all the serious and trivial matters. If a man lies in a small matter, he grows bold to lie in a bigger one. Have you not noted that the Messenger of Allah has said, ‘As long as a servant (of Allah)

إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ جَعَلَ لِلشَّرِّ أَقْفَالًا وَ جَعَلَ مَفَاتِيحَ تِلْكَ الْأَقْفَالِ الشَّرَابَ وَ الْكَذِبُ شَرٌّ مِنَ الشَّرَابِ‌[1].

3. It is narrated from him (narrator of the Hadith above) from ‘Uthman ibn ‘Isa from ibn Muskan from Muhammad ibn Muslim from abu Ja’far (a.s.) who has said the following: “Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, has created certain locks for evil. He has made wine the key to those locks. Lying is more evil than wine.

إِنَّ الْكَذِبَ هُوَ خَرَابُ الْإِيمَانِ‌[2].

“Abu Ja’far (a.s.) has said, ‘Lying is the destruction ofbelief.”’

الْكَذِبُ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَ عَلَى رَسُولِهِ ص مِنَ الْكَبَائِرِ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘Forgery against Allah and the Messenger of Allah is of the major sins.”’

إِنَّ أَوَّلَ مَنْ يُكَذِّبُ الْكَذَّابَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ ثُمَّ الْمَلَكَانِ اللَّذَانِ مَعَهُ ثُمَّ هُوَ يَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُ كَاذِبٌ.

‘The first one to rebuff the liar is Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, then the two angels who are with him, then he is the one who knows he is a liar.’”

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‌ إِنَّ الْكَذَّابَ يَهْلِكُ بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ وَ يَهْلِكُ أَتْبَاعُهُ بِالشُّبُهَاتِ‌[3].

“I heard Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) saying, ‘A liar is destroyed by means of clear evidence (his false claims) and his followers are destroyed on ambiguous evidence (accepting a leader whose qualification is doubtful).”’

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‌ إِنَّ آيَةَ الْكَذَّابِ بِأَنْ يُخْبِرَكَ خَبَرَ السَّمَاءِ وَ الْأَرْضِ وَ الْمَشْرِقِ وَ الْمَغْرِبِ فَإِذَا سَأَلْتَهُ عَنْ حَرَامِ اللَّهِ وَ حَلَالِهِ لَمْ يَكُنْ عِنْدَهُ شَيْ‌ءٌ[1].

‘Of the signs of lies in a liar is his telling you news of heaven, earth. East and West, but when you ask him about what Allah has made unlawful and what He has made lawful, you will find nothing with him (devoid of the knowledge of Shari’a).”’

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‌ إِنَّ الْكَذِبَةَ لَتُفَطِّرُ الصَّائِمَ قُلْتُ وَ أَيُّنَا لَا يَكُونُ ذَلِكَ مِنْهُ قَالَ لَيْسَ حَيْثُ ذَهَبْتَ إِنَّمَا ذَلِكَ الْكَذِبُ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَ عَلَى رَسُولِهِ وَ عَلَى الْأَئِمَّةِ ص.

‘It is certain that a lie destroys fasting (invalidates it).’ I then said, ‘Who is he among us who is not such a person?’ The Imam said, ‘It is not as you think it is. It is forging lies against Allah, the Messenger of Allah and ‘A’immah, recipients of divine supreme covenant.’”

ذُكِرَ الْحَائِكُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع أَنَّهُ مَلْعُونٌ‌[2] فَقَالَ إِنَّمَا ذَاكَ الَّذِي يَحُوكُ الْكَذِبَ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَ عَلَى رَسُولِهِ ص.

“It was mentioned before Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) that the weaver (knitting) is condemned. The Imam said, ‘It is the one who weaves and fabricates lies against Allah and the Messenger of Allah.”’

قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع‌ لَا يَجِدُ عَبْدٌ طَعْمَ الْإِيمَانِ حَتَّى يَتْرُكَ الْكَذِبَ هَزْلَهُ وَ جِدَّهُ.

“Amir al-Mu’minin, Ali ibn abu Talib (a.s.) has said, ‘A servant (of Allah) does not sense the taste of belief until he stays away from lies, serious ones as well as trivial ones.’”

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع الْكَذَّابُ هُوَ الَّذِي يَكْذِبُ فِي الشَّيْ‌ءِ قَالَ لَا مَا مِنْ أَحَدٍ إِلَّا يَكُونُ ذَلِكَ مِنْهُ وَ لَكِنَّ الْمَطْبُوعَ عَلَى الْكَذِبِ‌[1].

“Once I asked Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) ‘Is a liar one who lies about something?’ The Imam said, ‘No, there is no one who does not do so. It is those in whom lying becomes a thing of second nature.’”

قَالَ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ ع مَنْ كَثُرَ كَذِبُهُ ذَهَبَ بَهَاؤُهُ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘Jesus, son of Mary has said, “One who lies, often his grace goes away.’”

قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع‌ يَنْبَغِي لِلرَّجُلِ الْمُسْلِمِ أَنْ يَجْتَنِبَ مُوَاخَاةَ الْكَذَّابِ فَإِنَّهُ يَكْذِبُ حَتَّى يَجِي‌ءَ بِالصِّدْقِ فَلَا يُصَدَّقُ.

“It is very proper for a Muslim man to avoid friendship and brotherhood with a liar; he lies and, even if he comes with truth, he is not believed and trusted.”

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‌ إِنَّ مِمَّا أَعَانَ اللَّهُ بِهِ عَلَى الْكَذَّابِينَ النِّسْيَانَ‌[2].

“I heard Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) saying, ‘The assistance that Allah finds (for His cause) against the liars is in (their) forgetfulness.’”

الْكَلَامُ ثَلَاثَةٌ صِدْقٌ وَ كَذِبٌ وَ إِصْلَاحٌ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ قَالَ قِيلَ لَهُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ مَا الْإِصْلَاحُ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ قَالَ تَسْمَعُ مِنَ الرَّجُلِ كَلَاماً يَبْلُغُهُ فَتَخْبُثُ نَفْسُهُ‌[3] فَتَلْقَاهُ فَتَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ مِنْ فُلَانٍ قَالَ فِيكَ مِنَ الْخَيْرِ كَذَا وَ كَذَا خِلَافَ مَا سَمِعْتَ مِنْهُ.

“Statements are of three kinds: true, false and to establish truce among people.’ The narrator has said that it was asked of him, ‘May Allah keep my soul in service for your cause, what is establishing truce among people?’ The Imam said, ‘It is when you hear something about a man that, if he himself may hear it, his so

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع إِنَّا قَدْ رُوِّينَا عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع فِي قَوْلِ يُوسُفَ ع- أَيَّتُهَا الْعِيرُ إِنَّكُمْ لَسارِقُونَ‌ فَقَالَ وَ اللَّهِ مَا سَرَقُوا وَ مَا كَذَبَ‌ وَ قَالَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ ع- بَلْ فَعَلَهُ كَبِيرُهُمْ‌ هذا فَسْئَلُوهُمْ‌ إِنْ كانُوا يَنْطِقُونَ‌ فَقَالَ وَ اللَّهِ مَا فَعَلُوا وَ مَا كَذَبَ قَالَ فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع مَا عِنْدَكُمْ فِيهَا يَا صَيْقَلُ قَالَ فَقُلْتُ مَا

“Once I said to Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) ‘We narrate it from abu Ja’far (a.s.) about the words of Yusuf, “O people of the camels, you are thieves.” (12:70) The Imam said, ‘By Allah, they did not steal and he did not lie.’

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‌ كُلُّ كَذِبٍ مَسْئُولٌ عَنْهُ صَاحِبُهُ يَوْماً إِلَّا كَذِباً فِي ثَلَاثَةٍ رَجُلٌ كَائِدٌ فِي حَرْبِهِ فَهُوَ مَوْضُوعٌ عَنْهُ أَوْ رَجُلٌ أَصْلَحَ بَيْنَ اثْنَيْنِ يَلْقَى هَذَا بِغَيْرِ مَا يَلْقَى بِهِ هَذَا يُرِيدُ بِذَلِكَ الْإِصْلَاحَ مَا بَيْنَهُمَا أَوْ رَجُلٌ وَعَدَ أَهْلَهُ شَيْئاً وَ هُوَ لَا يُرِيدُ أَنْ يُتِمَّ لَهُمْ.

“I heard Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) saying, ‘A person lying will be held accountable for all kinds of lies except three kinds: a man plotting in his fight will not be held accountable, a man trying to establish peace between antagonistic parties who may say something other than a party may have said with the intention to est

الْمُصْلِحُ لَيْسَ بِكَذَّابٍ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘A reformer (a peace maker) is not a liar.’”

حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع بِحَدِيثٍ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ أَ لَيْسَ زَعَمْتَ لِيَ السَّاعَةَ كَذَا وَ كَذَا فَقَالَ لَا فَعَظُمَ ذَلِكَ عَلَيَّ فَقُلْتُ بَلَى وَ اللَّهِ زَعَمْتَ فَقَالَ لَا وَ اللَّهِ مَا زَعَمْتُهُ قَالَ فَعَظُمَ عَلَيَّ فَقُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ بَلَى وَ اللَّهِ قَدْ قُلْتَهُ قَالَ نَعَمْ قَدْ قُلْتُهُ أَ مَا عَلِمْتَ أَنَّ كُلَّ زَعْمٍ فِي الْقُرْآنِ كَذِبٌ‌[2].

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) stated to me a Hadith and I said, ‘May Allah keep my soul in service for your cause, did you not have a (Za’m) about me a while ago of such and such nature?’ The Imam said, ‘No.’ The narrator has said that it became very hard for me to understand and I said, ‘Yes, by Allah you did have such (Za’m

كَانَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ص يَقُولُ‌ إِيَّاكُمْ وَ الْكَذِبَ فَإِنَّ كُلَّ رَاجٍ طَالِبٌ وَ كُلَّ خَائِفٍ هَارِبٌ

“Amir al-Mifminin, Ali ibn abu Talib (a.s.) would say, ‘Beware of lying; every hopeful strives to make his wish come true and every fearful person runs away (and I do not find this quality in you).”