Working for al-Sultan and his Rewards

قَالَ لِي أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَا عُذَافِرُ إِنَّكَ تُعَامِلُ أَبَا أَيُّوبَ وَ الرَّبِيعَ فَمَا حَالُكَ إِذَا نُودِيَ بِكَ فِي أَعْوَانِ الظَّلَمَةِ قَالَ فَوَجَمَ أَبِي‌[2] فَقَالَ لَهُ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع لَمَّا رَأَى مَا أَصَابَهُ أَيْ عُذَافِرُ إِنَّمَا خَوَّفْتُكَ بِمَا خَوَّفَنِي اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ بِهِ قَالَ مُحَمَّدٌ فَقَدِمَ أَبِي فَلَمْ يَزَلْ مَغْمُوماً مَكْرُوباً حَتَّى مَاتَ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), once said to me, ‘O ‘Adha’fir, you cooperate with abu Ayyub and al-Rabi‘, how will your condition be when you will be called along with the helpers of unjust ones? He (the narrator) has said that my father became extremely depressed and abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), upon seeing the condition of my fath

دَخَلْتُ عَلَى أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع فَاسْتَقْبَلَنِي زُرَارَةُ خَارِجاً مِنْ عِنْدِهِ فَقَالَ لِي أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَا وَلِيدُ أَ مَا تَعْجَبُ مِنْ زُرَارَةَ سَأَلَنِي عَنْ أَعْمَالِ هَؤُلَاءِ أَيَّ شَيْ‌ءٍ كَانَ يُرِيدُ أَ يُرِيدُ أَنْ أَقُولَ لَهُ لَا فَيَرْوِيَ ذَلِكَ عَنِّي ثُمَّ قَالَ يَا وَلِيدُ مَتَى كَانَتِ الشِّيعَةُ تَسْأَلُ عَنْ أَعْمَالِهِمْ إِنَّمَا كَانَتِ الشِّيعَةُ تَقُولُ يُؤْكَلُ مِنْ طَعَام

“I once went to visit abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), and I met Zurarah who received me when he was coming out of the presence of the Imam. He (the Imam) said to me, ‘O Walid, is it not strange to you that Zurarah asks me about working for these people? What does he want me to say? Does he want me to say no, so that he can narr

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‌ اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَ صُونُوا دِينَكُمْ بِالْوَرَعِ وَ قَوُّوهُ بِالتَّقِيَّةِ وَ الِاسْتِغْنَاءِ بِاللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ إِنَّهُ مَنْ خَضَعَ لِصَاحِبِ سُلْطَانٍ وَ لِمَنْ يُخَالِفُهُ عَلَى دِينِهِ طَلَباً لِمَا فِي يَدَيْهِ مِنْ دُنْيَاهُ‌ أَخْمَلَهُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَ‌[1] وَ مَقَّتَهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ وَكَلَهُ إِلَيْهِ فَإِنْ هُوَ غَلَبَ عَلَى شَيْ‌ءٍ مِنْ دُنْيَاهُ فَصَارَ إِل

3. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from ibn Mahbub from Hadid who has said the following: “I heard abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, saying, ‘You must maintain piety before Allah and protect your religion by means of restraint from sins and strengthen your religion by means of taqiyah (caution)

كَانَ لِي صَدِيقٌ مِنْ كُتَّابِ بَنِي أُمَيَّةَ فَقَالَ لِي اسْتَأْذِنْ لِي عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع فَاسْتَأْذَنْتُ لَهُ عَلَيْهِ فَأَذِنَ لَهُ فَلَمَّا أَنْ دَخَلَ سَلَّمَ وَ جَلَسَ ثُمَّ قَالَ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ إِنِّي كُنْتُ فِي دِيوَانِ هَؤُلَاءِ الْقَوْمِ فَأَصَبْتُ مِنْ دُنْيَاهُمْ مَالًا كَثِيراً وَ أَغْمَضْتُ فِي مَطَالِبِهِ فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع لَوْ لَا أَنَّ بَنِي أُمَيَّةَ وَجَدُوا مَنْ يَكْتُب

“I had a young friend who worked as clerk for Amawide rulers. He asked me to ask permission for a meeting with abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), I asked for permission and it was granted. He came for the meeting, offered greeting of peace and sat down. He then said, ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, I wo

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ع عَنْ أَعْمَالِهِمْ فَقَالَ لِي يَا أَبَا مُحَمَّدٍ لَا وَ لَا مَدَّةَ قَلَمٍ‌[1] إِنَّ أَحَدَهُمْ لَا يُصِيبُ مِنْ دُنْيَاهُمْ شَيْئاً إِلَّا أَصَابُوا مِنْ دِينِهِ مِثْلَهُ أَوْ قَالَ حَتَّى يُصِيبُوا مِنْ دِينِهِ مِثْلَهُ. الْوَهْمُ مِنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ

“I once asked abu Ja‘far (a.s.), about working for them (sultans). He (the Imam) said, ‘O abu Muhammad, no, not even for moving a pen. For whatever one finds from them of the worldly things, one’s religion is harmed proportionately or that he (the Imam) said that until his religion is harmed; - uncertainty is from Ibn

كُنْتُ قَاعِداً عِنْدَ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع عَلَى بَابِ دَارِهِ بِالْمَدِينَةِ فَنَظَرَ إِلَى النَّاسِ يَمُرُّونَ أَفْوَاجاً فَقَالَ لِبَعْضِ مَنْ عِنْدَهُ حَدَثَ بِالْمَدِينَةِ أَمْرٌ فَقَالَ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ وُلِّيَ الْمَدِينَةَ وَالٍ فَغَدَا النَّاسُ يُهَنِّئُونَهُ فَقَالَ إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ لَيُغْدَى عَلَيْهِ بِالْأَمْرِ تَهَنَّأَ بِهِ وَ إِنَّهُ لَبَابٌ مِنْ أَبْوَابِ النَّارِ.

“I once was sitting in the presence of abu Ja‘far (a.s.), near the door of his house and he (the Imam) looked at the people passing in throngs and mobs. He (the Imam) asked someone near him, ‘Has anything happened in al-Madinah?’ He replied, ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, a new governor is

كُنْتُ عِنْدَ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع إِذْ دَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ رَجُلٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا فَقَالَ لَهُ أَصْلَحَكَ اللَّهُ إِنَّهُ رُبَّمَا أَصَابَ الرَّجُلَ مِنَّا الضَّيْقُ أَوِ الشِّدَّةُ فَيُدْعَى إِلَى الْبِنَاءِ يَبْنِيهِ أَوِ النَّهَرِ يَكْرِيهِ‌[2] أَوِ الْمُسَنَّاةِ يُصْلِحُهَا فَمَا تَقُولُ فِي ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع مَا أُحِبُّ أَنِّي عَقَدْتُ لَهُمْ عُقْدَةً أَوْ وَكَيْتُ لَهُمْ وِكَاءً[3] وَ إِنَّ

‘I pray to Allah to keep you well, one of us may face hardship and straitened conditions and is called to construct a building, work a canal or a dam. What is your decision in such case? He (the Imam) replied, ‘I do not like it. I have knotted for them a knot and tied down the opening end of the bag of ‘no’. It is no a

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع فُلَانٌ يُقْرِئُكَ السَّلَامَ وَ فُلَانٌ وَ فُلَانٌ فَقَالَ وَ عَلَيْهِمُ السَّلَامُ قُلْتُ يَسْأَلُونَكَ الدُّعَاءَ فَقَالَ وَ مَا لَهُمْ قُلْتُ حَبَسَهُمْ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ[4] فَقَالَ وَ مَا لَهُمْ وَ مَا لَهُ قُلْتُ اسْتَعْمَلَهُمْ فَحَبَسَهُمْ فَقَالَ وَ مَا لَهُمْ وَ مَا لَهُ أَ لَمْ أَنْهَهُمْ أَ لَمْ أَنْهَهُمْ أَ لَمْ أَنْهَهُمْ هُمُ النَّارُ هُمُ النَّارُ هُمُ النَّارُ قَالَ ثُمّ

“I once said to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘So and so has offered you Salam (greeting of peace) and so also is so and so.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Greeting of peace is upon them.’ I then said, ‘They request you to pray for them.’ He (the Imam) asked, ‘What is the matter with them?’ I said, ‘Abu Ja‘far, (Abbaside ruler) has im

كُنْتُ بِالْكُوفَةِ فَقَدِمَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع الْحِيرَةَ فَأَتَيْتُهُ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ لَوْ كَلَّمْتَ دَاوُدَ بْنَ عَلِيٍّ أَوْ بَعْضَ هَؤُلَاءِ فَأَدْخُلَ فِي بَعْضِ هَذِهِ الْوِلَايَاتِ فَقَالَ مَا كُنْتُ لِأَفْعَلَ قَالَ فَانْصَرَفْتُ إِلَى مَنْزِلِي فَتَفَكَّرْتُ فَقُلْتُ مَا أَحْسَبُهُ مَنَعَنِي إِلَّا مَخَافَةَ أَنْ أَظْلِمَ أَوْ أَجُورَ وَ اللَّهِ لآَتِيَنَّهُ وَ لَأُعْطِيَنَّهُ الطَّلَاقَ

“A Mawla’ (freed slave or tribal client) of Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.), told me, ‘I was in al-Kufah when Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), came to al-Hirah and I went to see him. I said to him (the Imam), ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, can you speak to Dawud ibn Ali or others of these people to admit me

قَالَ لِي أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع أَ مَا تَغْشَى سُلْطَانَ هَؤُلَاءِ قَالَ قُلْتُ لَا قَالَ وَ لِمَ قُلْتُ فِرَاراً بِدِينِي قَالَ فَعَزَمْتَ عَلَى ذَلِكَ قُلْتُ نَعَمْ فَقَالَ لِي الْآنَ سَلِمَ لَكَ دِينُكَ.

‘Do you use the power of these people for cover?’ I replied, ‘No, I do not do so.’ He (the Imam) asked, ‘Why do you not do so?’ I replied, ‘It is because of my running away with my religion.’ He (the Imam) asked, ‘Are you determined in this issue?’ I replied, ‘Yes, I am determined.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Now your religi

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنْ أَشْيَاءَ مِنَ الْمَكَاسِبِ فَنَهَانِي عَنْهَا فَقَالَ يَا فُضَيْلُ وَ اللَّهِ لَضَرَرُ هَؤُلَاءِ عَلَى هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ أَشَدُّ مِنْ ضَرَرِ التُّرْكِ وَ الدَّيْلَمِ قَالَ وَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الْوَرِعِ مِنَ النَّاسِ قَالَ الَّذِي يَتَوَرَّعُ عَنْ مَحَارِمِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ يَجْتَنِبُ هَؤُلَاءِ وَ إِذَا لَمْ يَتَّقِ الشُّبُهَاتِ وَقَعَ فِي الْحَرَامِ وَ هُوَ لَا يَعْرِفُهُ

“This is concerning my question before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about several issues of earning. He (the Imam) prohibited and said, ‘O Fudayl, the losses these people cause to this nation are more severe than the losses that Turks and Daylam may cause.’ He (the narrator) has said, ‘I then asked him (the Imam) about absta

هُوَ الرَّجُلُ يَأْتِي السُّلْطَانَ‌ فَيُحِبُّ بَقَاءَهُ إِلَى أَنْ يُدْخِلَ يَدَهُ إِلَى كِيسِهِ فَيُعْطِيَهُ.

“About the words of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, ‘You must not take sides with the unjust ones; consequently the fire will touch you,’ (11:13) he (the Imam) (a.s.), has said, ‘This is a man who works with the sultan and loves his remaining in power so that he can have a hand in his achievements and receive gran

إِنَّ قَوْماً مِمَّنْ آمَنَ بِمُوسَى ع قَالُوا لَوْ أَتَيْنَا عَسْكَرَ فِرْعَوْنَ وَ كُنَّا فِيهِ وَ نِلْنَا مِنْ دُنْيَاهُ فَإِذَا كَانَ الَّذِي نَرْجُوهُ مِنْ ظُهُورِ مُوسَى ع صِرْنَا إِلَيْهِ فَفَعَلُوا فَلَمَّا تَوَجَّهَ مُوسَى ع وَ مَنْ مَعَهُ إِلَى الْبَحْرِ هَارِبِينَ مِنْ فِرْعَوْنَ رَكِبُوا دَوَابَّهُمْ وَ أَسْرَعُوا فِي السَّيْرِ لِيَلْحَقُوا بِمُوسَى ع وَ عَسْكَرِهِ فَيَكُونُوا مَعَهُمْ فَبَعَثَ اللَّهُ عَ

“Abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘A people of those who believed in Musa (a.s.) decided to join the army of Pharaoh so that they can benefit from their worldly gains and if Musa ‘Alayhi al-Salam succeeded to join him. They did as they had decided to do. When Musa ‘Alayhi al-Salam and his followers went to the sea run

وَصَفْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع مَنْ يَقُولُ بِهَذَا الْأَمْرِ مِمَّنْ يَعْمَلُ عَمَلَ السُّلْطَانِ فَقَالَ إِذَا وَلُوكُمْ يُدْخِلُونَ عَلَيْكُمُ الرِّفْقَ‌[1] وَ يَنْفَعُونَكُمْ فِي حَوَائِجِكُمْ قَالَ قُلْتُ مِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَفْعَلُ ذَلِكَ وَ مِنْهُمْ مَنْ لَا يَفْعَلُ قَالَ مَنْ لَمْ يَفْعَلْ ذَلِكَ مِنْهُمْ فَابْرَءُوا مِنْهُ بَرِئَ اللَّهُ مِنْهُ.

“I once spoke to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about certain people who believe in Divine Authority of ‘A’immah, ‘Alayhim al-Salam, but work for the Sultan. He (the Imam) said, ‘They have achieved authority, therefore, they benefit you and help you.’ I (the narrator) then said, ‘Certain ones among them do so and certain other

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع إِنِّي وُلِّيتُ عَمَلًا فَهَلْ لِي مِنْ ذَلِكَ مَخْرَجٌ فَقَالَ مَا أَكْثَرَ مَنْ طَلَبَ الْمَخْرَجَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ فَعَسُرَ عَلَيْهِ قُلْتُ فَمَا تَرَى قَالَ أَرَى أَنْ تَتَّقِيَ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ لَا تَعُدْهُ.

“This is concerning my question before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about my becoming the in charge person of a certain work (for the sultan), if there is a way for me out of it. He (the Imam) said, ‘How many are those who want a way out but it becomes difficult for them.’ I then asked, ‘What is your decision? He (the Imam)