Important Advice

إِذَا خَرَجْتَ مِنْ بَيْتِكَ تُرِيدُ الْحَجَّ وَ الْعُمْرَةَ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ فَادْعُ دُعَاءَ الْفَرَجِ وَ هُوَ- لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ الْحَلِيمُ الْكَرِيمُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ رَبِّ السَّمَاوَاتِ السَّبْعِ وَ رَبِّ الْأَرَضِينَ السَّبْعِ وَ رَبِّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ‌ وَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعالَمِينَ* ثُمَّ قُلْ اللَّهُمَّ كُنْ لِي جَاراً مِنْ كُلِّ جَبَّارٍ

2. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father, from ibn abu ‘Umayr and Muhammad ibn Isma‘il from al-Fadl ibn Shadhan from ibn abu ‘Umayr and Safwan ibn Yahya all from Mu‘awiyah ibn ‘Ammar who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said that when you come out of your house with the intention to

كَانَ أَبِي يَقُولُ‌ مَا يُعْبَأُ مَنْ يَؤُمُّ هَذَا الْبَيْتَ إِذَا لَمْ يَكُنْ فِيهِ ثَلَاثُ خِصَالٍ خُلُقٌ يُخَالِقُ بِهِ مَنْ صَحِبَهُ أَوْ حِلْمٌ يَمْلِكُ بِهِ مِنْ غَضَبِهِ أَوْ وَرَعٌ يَحْجُزُهُ عَنْ مَحَارِمِ اللَّهِ‌[5].

“Abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘My father would say, “One who decides to visit this House is not properly prepared without three characteristics. They are moral discipline with which he behaves with his companion, forbearance with which he overcomes his anger, and abstaining (staying away from sins) which keeps him

مَا يُعْبَأُ مَنْ يَسْلُكُ هَذَا الطَّرِيقَ إِذَا لَمْ يَكُنْ فِيهِ ثَلَاثُ خِصَالٍ وَرَعٌ يَحْجُزُهُ عَنْ مَعَاصِي اللَّهِ وَ حِلْمٌ يَمْلِكُ بِهِ غَضَبَهُ وَ حُسْنُ الصُّحْبَةِ لِمَنْ صَحِبَهُ.

2. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Ali ibn al-Hakam from abu Ayyub al-Khazzaz from Muhammad ibn Muslim who has said the following: “Abu Ja’far (a.s.), has said, ‘One who decides to visit this House is not properly prepared without three characteristics. One should be able to a

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ وَطِّنْ نَفْسَكَ عَلَى حُسْنِ الصِّحَابَةِ لِمَنْ صَحِبْتَ فِي حُسْنِ خُلُقِكَ وَ كُفَّ لِسَانَكَ وَ اكْظِمْ غَيْظَكَ وَ أَقِلَّ لَغْوَكَ وَ تَفْرُشُ عَفْوَكَ وَ تَسْخُو نَفْسُكَ.

3. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ibn abu ‘ Umayr from Mu‘awiyah ibn ‘Ammar who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said, ‘Station your soul on the discipline for good companionship toward your companion, control your tongue and anger, reduce your useless activities, make y

كُنَّا عِنْدَ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع وَ الْبَيْتُ غَاصٌّ بِأَهْلِهِ‌[2] فَقَالَ لَيْسَ مِنَّا مَنْ لَمْ يُحْسِنْ صُحْبَةَ مَنْ صَحِبَهُ وَ مُرَافَقَةَ مَنْ رَافَقَهُ وَ مُمَالَحَةَ مَنْ مَالَحَهُ وَ مُخَالَقَةَ مَنْ خَالَقَهُ‌[3].

“Once we were in the presence of abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), when the house was full of people. He (the Imam) said, ‘One whose behavior toward his companion, comrade, tablemate and associate is not proper, is not of our people.’”

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ الرَّفِيقَ ثُمَّ السَّفَرَ وَ قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ص- لَا تَصْحَبَنَّ فِي سَفَرِكَ مَنْ لَا يَرَى لَكَ مِنَ الْفَضْلِ عَلَيْهِ كَمَا تَرَى لَهُ عَلَيْكَ.

“Ja’far (a.s.), has narrated from his ancestors, ‘Alayhim al-Salam, who have said that the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has said, ‘Companion first, then is journey.’ ’Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.), has said, ‘You must not accompany during a

إِذَا صَحِبْتَ فَاصْحَبْ نَحْوَكَ وَ لَا تَصْحَبَنَّ مَنْ يَكْفِيكَ فَإِنَّ ذَلِكَ مَذَلَّةٌ لِلْمُؤْمِنِ.

“Abu Ja’far (a.s.), has said, ‘Accompany someone like yourself. Do not accompany one who suffices you; it is humiliation for a believing person.’”

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَدْ عَرَفْتَ حَالِي وَ سَعَةَ يَدِي وَ تَوَسُّعِي عَلَى إِخْوَانِي فَأَصْحَبُ النَّفَرَ مِنْهُمْ فِي طَرِيقِ مَكَّةَ فَأَتَوَسَّعُ عَلَيْهِمْ قَالَ لَا تَفْعَلْ يَا شِهَابُ إِنْ بَسَطْتَ وَ بَسَطُوا أَجْحَفْتَ بِهِمْ وَ إِنْ أَمْسَكُوا أَذْلَلْتَهُمْ فَاصْحَبْ نُظَرَاءَكَ‌[1].

“I once said to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘You are aware of my affluent condition and my extending helping hand toward my brothers (in belief). Should I accompany certain individuals from among them during my journey to Makkah and extend a helpful hand toward them?’ He (the Imam) replied, ’You must not do so, O Shihab. If

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَخْرُجُ الرَّجُلُ مَعَ قَوْمٍ مَيَاسِيرَ وَ هُوَ أَقَلُّهُمْ شَيْئاً فَيُخْرِجُ الْقَوْمُ النَّفَقَةَ وَ لَا يَقْدِرُ هُوَ أَنْ يُخْرِجَ مِثْلَ مَا أَخْرَجُوا فَقَالَ مَا أُحِبُّ أَنْ يُذِلَّ نَفْسَهُ لِيَخْرُجْ مَعَ مَنْ هُوَ مِثْلُهُ.

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ’Can a less affluent person accompany affluent people during the journey to Makkah, when he cannot spend as much as they do?’ He (the Imam) replied, ’I do not like his humiliating himself. He should accompany people of his own status.’”