863- Imam Sadiq (a.s) was asked regarding God's statement: "Treat with kindness your parents" [The Holy Quran: Baqara 2:83], what is meant by "treat with kindness?"
He said: "This means that you associate with them with kindness, and do not put them in a position to ask you for something which they need, even if they are rich.
Did God not say: "By no means shall ye attain righteousness unless ye give (freely) of that which ye love." [The Holy Quran: Al-i-Imran 3:92]
He then added: "Consider the Almighty God's statement: "Whether one or both of them attain old age in thy life, say not to them a word of contempt, nor repel them" [The Holy Quran: Bani Isra-il 17:23]
This means that you should not insult them if they hurt you, and you should not treat them badly even if they hit you. God the Almighty said: "But address them in terms of honor." [The Holy Quran: Bani Isra-il 17:23]
This means that you should say: "May God forgive you" if they hit you. This is how you can address them in terms of honor. God also said: "And, out of kindness, lower to them the wing of humility" [The Holy Quran: Bani Isra-il 17:24]
This means that you should not stare at them, but look at them with kindness and sympathy, and do not raise your voice over theirs, and do not raise your hands above theirs, and do not walk ahead of them."

864- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: "Among the rights of the parents over their children we can say that they should pay off their debts, and honor their vows, and do not do anything that might result in them being sworn at. If so they are good-doers even if the parents disowned them during their life. However, if the children do not do the above things, they will be disowned by their parents even if they were good children during the lifetime of the parents."

865- The Prophet (a.s) said: "I advise my present and future nation up until the Resurrection Day to treat their parents with kindness even if they have to walk for two years to reach them, since this is a part of our religion."

866- Imam Sadiq (a.s) narrated that an Arab man went to see the Prophet (a.s) and stretched out his hand toward the Prophet and asked God's Prophet (a.s) to let him pledge allegiance to

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863. سُئل أبو عبد الله عليه السلام عن قول الله عز وجل: ]وَبِالْوالِدَينِ إحْساناً[ ما هذا الإحسان؟ قال: أن تُحسن صحبتهما، وأن لا تُكلّفهما أن يسألاك شيئاً ممّا يحتاجان إليه وإن كانا مُستغنيين، أليس الله يقول: ]لَنْ تَنالُوا الْبِرَّ حَتَّى تُنْفِقُوْا مِمَّا تُحِبُّونَ[ ثمّ قال أبو عبد الله عليه السلام وأمّا قول الله تبارك وتعالى: إِمَّا يَبْلُغَنَّ عِنْدَكَ الْكِبَرُ أَحَدُهُما أَوْ كِلاهُما فَلا تَقُلْ لَهُما أُفٍّ ولا تنهرهما[ قال: إن أضجراك فلا تقل لهما أفٍّ ولا تنهرهما إن ضرباك وقال ]وَقُلْ لَهُما قَوْلاً كَريماً[ قال: فإن ضرباك فقل لهما غَفَرَ الله لَكُما فذلك منك قولٌ كريمٌ، قال ]وَاخْفِضْ لَهُما جَناحَ الذُّلِّ مِنَ الرَّحْمَةِ[ قال: لا تَملأ عينيك مِن النظر إليهما إلاّ برحمةٍ ورِقّةٍ، ولا ترفع صوتك فَوقَ أصواتهما ولا يديك فَوقَ أيديهما، ولا تُقدم قُدّامهما.

864. عنه عليه السلام قال: إنّ مِن حقّ الوالدين على ولدهما أن يقضي ديونهما ويوفي نذورهما ولا يستسب لهما، فإذا فعل ذلك كان بارّاً وإن كان عاقّاً لهما في حياتهما، وإن لم يقض ديونهما ولم يوف نذورهما واستسب لهما كان عاقّاً وإن كان بارّاً في حياتهما.

865. قال النبيّ صلي الله عليه و اله و سلم أُوصي الشاهد مِن أُمّتي والغائب ومَن في أصلاب الرجال وأرحام النساء إلى يَوم القيامة بِبرّ الوالدين، وإن سافر أحدهم في ذلك سنتين، فإنّ ذلك مِن أمر الدين.

866. عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: جاء أعرابي إلَى النبيّ صلي الله عليه و اله و سلم فقال: يا رسول الله، بايعني على

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Islam. The Prophet (a.s) said: "So that you kill your father?" The Arab man withdrew his hand. God's Prophet (a.s) turned to the people to talk, but the Arab man returned and said the same thing again. The Prophet (a.s) said: "So that you kill your father?" This time the man said "Yes" and the Prophet shook his hand in a pledge of allegiance to Islam, and said: "Now is the time for: "Take none for friends and protectors except God, His Apostle, and the (community of) Believers." [The Holy Quran: Tauba 9:16]
But I will not order you to disobey your parents. But treat them with kindness in this world."

867- Imam Sadiq (a.s) narrated that God's Prophet (a.s) went to see a young fellow who was about to die. The Prophet (a.s) said: "Say there is no god but Allah." The young man moved his tongue several times. The Prophet looked at a woman who was there and asked: "Where is this young man's mother?" She replied: "I am his mother." The Prophet (a.s) said: "Are you angry with him?" She said: "Yes. I have not talked to him for six years." The Prophet (a.s) said: "Forgive him." She said: "May God be pleased with him due to your satisfaction, O' Prophet of God!" Then the Prophet told the young man: "Say there is no god but Allah." The young man uttered these words. Then the Prophet asked: "What do you see?" He said: "I see an ugly, stinky black man who has surrounded me and is choking me now." The Prophet (a.s) said: "Now say: "O' the One who accepts little deeds and forgives many sins! Please accept my little deeds and forgive my many sins. You are indeed the Forgiving and the Merciful." The young man uttered these words. The Prophet then asked him what he sees. He said: "I see a well-dressed, beautiful, good-scented white man hugging me and the black man is walking away." The Prophet asked him to repeat his prayer again, and he did. Then he said: "I no longer see the black man. I only see the white man who is hugging me." Then he died.

868- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: "One form of hurting your parents is giving them a mean look."

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الإسلام، فقال: أن تَقتل أباك؟ فكفّ الأعرابي يده، وأقبل رسول الله صلي الله عليه و اله و سلم علَى القوم يُحدّثهم، فعاد الأعرابي بالقول فأجابه رسول الله صلي الله عليه و اله و سلم بِمِثل الأوّل، فكفّ الأعرابي يده، فأقبل رسول الله صلي الله عليه و اله و سلم علىَ القوم يُحدّثهم، ثمّ عاد الأعرابي فقال: أن تقتل أباك؟ فقال: نعم؛ فبايعه، ثمّ قال له رسول الله صلي الله عليه و اله و سلم الآن حين ]لَمْ يَتَّخِذُوا مِنْ دُوْنِ الله وَلا رَسُولِهِ وَلا الْمُؤمِنينَ وَلِيجَةً[ إنّي لا آمر بُعقوق الوالِدَين ولكن صاحبهما في الدنيا معروفاً.

867. عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: حضر رسول الله صلي الله عليه و اله و سلم شابّاً عند وفاته، فقال له: قل لا إله إلاّ الله، فاعتقل لِسانه مِراراً، فقال لامرأةٍ عند رأسه: هل لهذا أُمٌّ، قالت: نعم أنا أُمّه، فقال: فساخطةٌ أنتِ عليه؟ قالت: نعم؛ ما كلّمتُه منذُ سِتّ حجج، قال: ارضي عنه، فقالت: رضي الله عنه يا رسول الله برضاك عنه، فقال له رسول الله صلي الله عليه و اله و سلم قل: لا إله إلاّ الله، فقالها، فقال: ما ترى؟ قال: أرى رجلاً أسود قبيح المنظر مُنتِن الريح قد وليني الساعة، فأخذ بكظمي فقال: قل: "يا مَنْ يَقْبَلُ الْيَسِيْرَ وَيَعْفُو عَنِ الْكَثِير، اقْبَلْ مِنِّي الْيَسِيرَ واعْفُ عَنِّي الْكَثِيرَ، إنَّكَ أنْتَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ" فقالها، فقال له: ما ترى؟ فقال: أرى رجلاً أبيض حَسَنُ الثياب حَسَنُ الوجه طيّب الريح قد وليني، وأرى الأسود قد نَأى عنّي، قال: أعد، فأعاد، فقال: لستُ أرىَ الأسود وأرىَ الأبيض قد وليني، قال: فطفى على هذا الحال.

868. عنه عليه السلام ومِن العقوق أن ينظر الرجل إلى والديه يحدّ النظر إليهما.

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869- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: "The prayers of whoever looks at his parents with animosity will not be accepted, even if they have oppressed him."

870- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: "When the Resurrection Day arrives, they will draw aside one of the curtains of Heaven, and its scent will be smelt by any creature as far away as five hundred years, except for one group." He was asked: "Who are they?" He said: "They are the ones disowned by their parents."

871- Abdullah ibn Miskan narrated that Imam Baqir (a.s) said: "My father -may God honor his face, looked at a boy who was leaning on his father's shoulders, and never spoke with that boy until the end of his life because of this bad act."

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869. عنه عليه السلام قال: مَن نَظَرَ إلى والديه نظر ماقتٍ وهُما ظالمان له لم تُقبل له صلاةٌ.

870. عنه عليه السلام قال: إذا كانَ يوم القيامة كُشف غطاءٌ مِن أغطية الجنّة فوجد ريحها مَن كانت له روحٌ مِن مسيرة خمسمائة عامٍ إلاّ صنفٌ واحدٌ، قلت: ومَن هُم؟ قال: العاقّ لوالديه.

871. عن عبد الله بن مسكان قال: سمعتُ أبا جعفر عليه السلام يقول: إنّ أبي - كرّم الله وجهه - نظر إلى رجلٍ ومعه ابنه، والابن مُتَّكٍ على ذِراع الأب، قال: فما كلّمه عليّ بن الحسين عليهما السلام مَقتاً له حتّى فارق الدنيا.

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Chapter 15

On Visiting the Relations of Kin

872- In Al-Mahasin it is narrated that Imam Baqir (a.s) narrated on the authority of God's Prophet (a.s): "I advise my present and future nation up until the Resurrection Day to visit the relations of kin even if they have to walk for one year to get to them since this is a part of our religion."

873- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: "Avoid cutting off from the relations of kin since it causes men to die."

874- God's Prophet (a.s) said: "No sin speeds up your worldly punishment and the punishment of the Hereafter more than cutting off from the relations of kin and oppression."

875- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: "The first part that will talk on the Resurrection Day is the womb that will ask God to keep His ties with whoever kept their ties with it, and to cut off His ties from whoever cut off their ties with it1."

876- Imam Baqir (a.s) said: "Visiting the relations of kin will purify your deeds, fend off calamities, increase your wealth, ease the reckoning, and put off death."

877- Imam Baqir (a.s) said that God's Prophet (a.s) said: "Treating your parents with kindness and visiting the relations of kin will ease the reckoning." Then the Prophet recited this verse: "Those who join together those things which God hath commanded to be joined.."[The Holy Quran: Ra'd 13:21]
____________
1 Translators' note: This implies relations of kin.
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الفصل الخامس عشر

في صِلة الرَحِم

872. مِن كتاب المحاسن: عن الباقر عليه السلام قال: قال رسول الله صلي الله عليه و اله و سلم أُوصي الشاهد مِن أُمّتي والغائب منهم، ومَن في أصلاب الرجال وأرحام النساء إلى يَوم القيامة، أن يصل الرَحِم وإن كانت منه على مسيرة سَنةٍ، فإنّ ذلك مِن الدين.

873. عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قـال: اتّقوا الحالقة، فإنّها تُميت الرجال، قلتُ: وما الحالقة؟ قال: قطيعةُ الرَحِم.

874. قال رسول الله صلي الله عليه و اله و سلم ما مِن ذنبٍ أجدر أن يُعجّل الله لِصاحبه العقوبة في الدنيا مع ما ادّخره في الآخرة مِن البغي وقطيعة الرَحِم.

875. وقال عليه السلام أوّل ناطقٍ مِن الجوارح يَوم القيامة الرَحِم، يقول: يا رب مَن وَصَلَني في الدنيا فَصِل اليوم ما بينك وبينه، ومَن قطعني في الدنيا فاقطع اليوم ما بينك وبينه.

876. وقال الباقر عليه السلام صِلة الأرحام تُزكّي الأعمال، وتدفع البَلوى، وتنمي الأموال، وتُيسّر الحساب، وتُنسىء في الأجل.

877. وعنه عليه السلام قال: قال رسول الله صلي الله عليه و اله و سلم بِرّ الوالدين وصِلةُ الرَحِم يُهوّنان الحساب، ثمّ تلا ]وَالَّذِينَ يَصِلُونَ ما أمَرَ الله بِهِ أَنْ يُوصَلَ[.

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878- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: "God will extend your life and increase your daily bread if you treat your parents with kindness and visit your relations of kin."

879- Imam Ali ibn Hussein (a.s) said: "Whoever gets married for the sake of God, and visits his relations of kin, God will place a royal crown on his head on the Resurrection Day."

880- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: "Visit the relations of kin even if it is as short as having a drink of water, and it is best not to hurt your relations of kin."

881- God's Prophet (a.s) said: "Whoever likes his daily bread to be increased and his death to be put off should visit his relations of kin."

882- Salimah who was Imam Sadiq's maid narrated that she was near the Imam (a.s) at the time of his death. The Imam (a.s) passed out for a while, and when he became conscious again, he said: "Give seventy Dinars to Hassan ibn Ali ibn Ali ibn al-Hussein known as Aftaes, and so on." Then she asked him: "Will you also give to one who attempted to attack you with a knife?" He said: "Have you not read the Quran?" She said: "Yes." He said: "Have you not read the Almighty God's statement: "Those who join together those things which God hath commanded to be joined, hold their Lord in awe, and fear the terrible reckoning." [The Holy Quran: Ra'd 13:21]

883- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: "I visit my relations of kin before they become distant from me."

884- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: "Three things are noble acts for this world and the Hereafter: forgiving one who has oppressed you, joining one who has cut off from you, and being patient when you are being treated out of ignorance."

885- God's Prophet (a.s) narrated that Gabriel quoted on the authority of the Almighty God: "I am Merciful, and the word womb "rahem" in Arabic is derived from my name "Rahman". I shall establish ties with whoever visits the relations of kin, and shall cut off from whoever cuts off his relations of kin."

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878. عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: صِلةُ الرَحِم وبِرّ الوالدين يمدّ الله بهما في العُمر ويزيد في المعيشة.

879. عن عليّ بن الحسين عليهما السلام قال: مَن زوّج لله ووَصل الرَحِم، تَوَّجَهُ الله بتاجِ الملك يومَ القيامة.

880. عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام صِل رَحِمَك ولو بِشَربةٍ مِن ماءٍ، وأفضلُ ما توصِل به الأرحام كفّ الأذى عنها.

881. قال رسول الله صلي الله عليه و اله و سلم مَن أحبّ أن يوسّع له في رزقه وينسئ له في أجله فليصل رَحِمه.

882. عن سالمة مولاة أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قالت: كنتُ عند أبي عبد الله عليه السلام حين حضرته الوفاة فأُغمي عليه، فلمّا أفاق قال: أُعطوا الحسن بن عليّ بن علي بن الحسين - وهو الأفطس- سبعين ديناراً، واعطوا فلاناً كذا وفلاناً كذا، فقلتُ: أتُعطي رجلاً حمل عليك بالشفرة؟ فقال: ويحكِ أما تقرئينِ القرآن؟ قلتُ: بلى، قال: أما سمعتِ قول الله جلّ وعزّ: ]وَالَّذِينَ يَصِلُونَ ما أَمَرَ الله بِهِ أَنْ يُوصَلَ وَيَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُمْ وَيَخافُونَ سُوءَ الْحِسَابِ[.

883. وعنه عليه السلام قال: إنّي لأُبادر صِلة قرابتي قبل أن يستعفوا عنّي.

884. وعنه عليه السلام قال: ثلاثةٌ مِن مكارم الدنيا والآخرة: أن تعفو عمّن ظلمك، وتصِل مَن قطعك، وتحلم إذا جهل عليك.

885. قال رسول الله صلي الله عليه و اله و سلم عن جبرئيل عن الله عز وجل قال: أنا الرحمان شققتُ الرَحِم مِن اسمي، فمَن وصلها وصلته، ومَن قطعها قطعته.

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886- God's Prophet (a.s) said: "If your nephew comes to you and asks you for some money that you have extra of, and you do not honor his request, God will deprive you of His blessings on the Resurrection Day."

887- God's Prophet (a.s) said: "Visit the relations of kin even if it is limited to greeting."

888- God's Prophet (a.s) said: "Divine Mercy will not descend upon a tribe among whom there are some who cut off their relations of kin."

889- Imam Sadiq (a.s) narrated that a man from the Khas'aem tribe went to see the Prophet and said: "O' Prophet of God! What is the highest rank in Islam?" The Prophet (a.s) said: "Faith in God." He asked: "What is next?" The Prophet (a.s) said: "Visiting the relations of kin." He asked: "What is next?" The Prophet (a.s) said: "Advising to do what is right and forbidding what is evil." The man asked: "What is the most despised act near God?" The Prophet (a.s) said: "Infidelity". He asked: "What is next?" The Prophet (a.s) said: "Cutting off the relations of kin." He asked: "What is next?" The Prophet (a.s) said: "Advising to what is evil, and forbidding what is right."

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886. وقال صلي الله عليه و اله و سلم أيّما رجلٍ أتاه ابن عمّه يسأله مِن فضله فمنعه؛ منعه الله مِن فضله يوم القيامة.

887. وقال صلي الله عليه و اله و سلم صِلوا أرحامكم ولو بالسلام.

888. وقال صلي الله عليه و اله و سلم لا تنزل الرحمة على قومٍ فيهم قاطعُ الرَحِم.

889. عن الصادق عليه السلام قال: إنّ رجلاً مِن خثعم جاء إلى رسول الله صلي الله عليه و اله و سلم فقال: يا رسول الله، ما أفضل الإسلام؟ قال: الإيمان بالله، قال: ثمّ ماذا؟ قال: صِلةُ الرَحِم، قال: ثمّ ماذا؟ قال: الأمر بالمعروف والنهي عن المنكر، قال: فقال الرجل: أيّ الأعمال أبغض إلىَ الله قال: الشرك بالله، قال: ثمّ ماذا؟ قال: قطيعة الرَحِم، قال: ثمّ ماذا؟ قال: الأمر بالمنكر والنهي عن المعروف.

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Chapter 16

On Orphans

890- Ins ibn Malik narrated that God's Prophet (a.s) said: "God will accept the deeds of whoever has an orphan in his house and he feeds and clothes him and does not hit or hurt him."

891- God's Prophet (a.s) said: "Whoever entrusts an orphan with a Muslim couple until the child becomes needless, will certainly go to Heaven."

892- God's Prophet (a.s) said: "Whenever an orphan cries on Earth, God the Almighty says: Who has made this servant of mine who has lost his parents on the Earth cry?" The angels will say: "You are Pure. We do not know anything except for what you have taught us." God the Almighty says: "I will use you as witnesses that I will please with Heaven whoever pleases this orphan." Then a man asked the Prophet: "What will please him?" The Prophet (a.s) said: "Caressing his head or feeding him with a date."

893- God's Prophet (a.s) said: "The best Muslim house is one in which an orphan is treated with kindness and the worst Muslim house is one in which an orphan is mistreated." He then pointed with his fingers and said: "Both me and the guardians of orphans will be in Heaven."

894- A man was complaining about his ruthlessness to the Prophet (a.s). The Prophet (a.s) said: "Whenever you want to become soft-hearted feed a poor person and caress an orphan."

895- God's Prophet (a.s) said: "God will humiliate whoever humiliates an orphan."

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الفصل السادس عشر

في ذكر الأيتام

890. عن أنس بن مالك قال: قال رسول الله صلي الله عليه و اله و سلم ألا مَن كان في مَنزله يتيمٌ فأشبعه أو كساه ولم يؤذه ولم يضربه يقبل منه عمله.

891. وقال رسول الله صلي الله عليه و اله و سلم مَن ضمّ يتيماً بين أبوين مسلمين حتّى يستغني فقد وجبت له الجنّة البتّة.

892. وقال صلي الله عليه و اله و سلم إذا بكى اليتيم في الأرض قال الله سبحانه و تعالي: مَن أبكى عبدي هذا اليتيم الّذي غيَّبت أبويه أو أباه في الأرض؟ فتقول الملائكة: سبحانك لا علم لنا إلاّ ما علّمتنا، فيقول الله سبحانه و تعالي: أُشهد كم ملائكتي أنّ مَن أسكته برضاه فأنا ضامنٌ لِرضاه مِن الجنّة، قيل: يا رسول الله وما يُرضيه؟ قال: يمسح رأسه أو يطعمه تمرةً.

893. وقال صلي الله عليه و اله و سلم خيرُ بيتٍ في المسلمين بيتٌ فيه يتيمٌ يُحسن إليه، وشرُّ بيتٍ فيه يتيمٌ يُساء إليه، ثمّ قال: أنا وكافلُ اليتيم في الجنّة - وهو يُشير بإصبعه.

894. وروي إنّ رجلاً شكا إلى النبيّ صلي الله عليه و اله و سلم قَساوة قلبه، فقال: إذا أردتَ أن يلين قلبك فأطعم المسكين وامسح رأس اليتيم.

895. وقال: مَن أذلّ يتيماً أذلّه الله.

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896- A man told God's Prophet (a.s): "O' Prophet of God! I am unhappy with my ruthlessness." The Prophet (a.s) said: "Approach an orphan and caress him, and bring him home and feed him. Then your heart will be softened and you will be able to get what you need."

897- God's Prophet (a.s) said: "Feed orphans and women who do not have any supporters. Be as a kind father for the orphans, and as a kind husband for the women who do not have any supporters. A castle will be given to you in Heaven for every human you treat with kindness. The castle will be better than all the castles in this world, and whatever they contain."

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896. وقال رجلٌ: يا رسول الله، أشكو إليك قَسوة قلبي، قال: فادن منك اليتيم وامسح رأسه وأجلسه على خوانك، يلن قلبك وتَقْدِر على حاجتك.

897. قال رسول الله صلي الله عليه و اله و سلم أشبع اليتيم والأرملة، وكُن لليتيم كالأب الرحيم، وكُن للأرملة كالزوج العطوف، تُعطَ كلّ نفسٍ تنفّستَ في الدنيا قصراً في الجنّة، كلّ قصرٍ خيرٌ مِن الدنيا وما فيها.

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Chapter 17

On Respecting the Old

898- Ameer al-Momineen (a.s) quoted on the authority of God's Prophet (a.s): "Part of the rights of respect for God the Almighty is respecting old Muslims, just people and interpreters of the Quran who neither say less nor more than what the Quran contains."

899- God's Prophet (a.s) said: "If any young fellow respects an old man, God will appoint some young fellow to respect him when he gets old."

900- God's Prophet (a.s) said: "God is ashamed of punishing an old man."

901- Ibn Abbas narrated that God's Prophet (a.s) said: "Whoever does not have mercy on the youngsters and does not respect the elders, does not belong to my nation."

902- God's Prophet (a.s) said: "Respect the elders, since this is like respecting God the Almighty. Whoever does not respect the elders does not belong to my nation."

903- God's Prophet (a.s) said: "Do you want me to tell you who the best of you are?" They said: "O' Prophet of God! Yes." The Prophet (a.s) said: "The best of you is the elderly who is on the right path."

904- Imam Sadiq (a.s) narrated that his noble grandfather (a.s) said: "Two men went to see the Prophet (a.s). One was young and the other one was old. The young one started to talk first, but the Prophet stopped him and said: "The elder, the elder."

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الفصل السابع عشر

في إكرام الشيوخ

898. عن أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام قال: قال رسول الله صلي الله عليه و اله و سلم إنّ مِن حقّ إجلال الله سبحانه و تعالي إكرامُ ثلاثةٍ: ذو الشيبة المسلم، وذو المقسط، وحاملُ القرآن غير الجافي ولا الغالي فيه.

899. وقال صلي الله عليه و اله و سلم ما أكرم شابٌّ شيخاً لسنّه إلاّ قيّضَ الله له عند كِبرَ سِنّه مَن يُكرمه.

900. وقال صلي الله عليه و اله و سلم إنّ الله لَيستحي أن يُعذّب الشيخ الكبير.

901. عن ابن عبّاس قال: قال رسول الله صلي الله عليه و اله و سلم ليس مِنّا مَن لم يَرحم صغيرنا ولم يُوَقّر كبيرنا.

902. قال صلي الله عليه و اله و سلم بجّلوا المشائخ فإنّ تبجيل المشائخ مِن إجلال الله سبحانه و تعالي ومَن لم يُبجِّلهم فليس منّا.

903. وقال صلي الله عليه و اله و سلم ألا أنبئكم بخياركم؟ قالوا: بلى يا رسول الله، قال: أطولكم أعماراً إذا سدّدوا.

904. عن الصادق عن آبائه: قال: جاء رَجلان إلىَ النبي صلي الله عليه و اله و سلم شيخٌ وشابٌّ، فتكلّم الشابّ قبل الشيخ، فقال النبيّ صلي الله عليه و اله و سلم الكبير الكبير.

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905- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: "O' old men with white hair and black heart! You are facing the Fire, and the angel of death is behind you. What do you want to do? When you were a child you were ignorant. When you were young you were corrupt, and when you got old you were a hypocrite. Where do you stand? What deeds have you done?"

906- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said that God's Prophet (a.s) said: "Whoever recognizes the position of an old man and respects him, God will grant him peace of mind regarding the Resurrection Day."

907- Once when the Prophet was among his companions, a man passed by him. Someone said: "This is an insane man." The Prophet (a.s) said: "No. He is perfectly healthy. Men or women who spend their youth obeying someone other than God are insane."

908- Imam Sadiq (a.s) quoted on the authority of the Prophet (a.s): "God will protect any man who attains the age of forty from insanity, elephantiasis, leprosy1. God will ease the reckoning of any man who reaches the age of fifty. God will grant any man who reaches the age of sixty opportunity to repent. God and the companions of the heavens love any man who reaches the age of seventy. God will order the good deeds to be recorded, and the bad deeds to be eliminated for any man who reaches the age of eighty. Whenever a man reaches the age of ninety, God will forgive all his past and future sins. He will be considered to be one of the slaves of God on Earth."

909- God's Prophet (a.s) said: "God respects seventy year old people, and is ashamed to punish eighty year old people."
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1 Translators' note: Elphantiasis is a species of leprosy that pervaded Europe in the latter part of the Middle Ages. It is a certain disease, arising from the speading of the black bile throughout the whole person, so that it corrupts the temperament of the members and the external conditions thereof; and sometimes in the dissundering, or corrusion of the members and their falling off, in consequence of ulceration, so called because it dissunders the flesh, and causes it to fall off; or because the fingers, or toes become cut-off. It is a cracking of the skin, and a dissundering and gradual falling off of the flesh. However, leprosy is a well-known disease, which is a whiteness incident in the skin, which appears upon the exterior of the body, by reason of a corrupt state of constitution.
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905. عن الصادق عليه السلام قال: يا صاحب الشَعْر الأبيض والقلب الأسود، أمامَك النار وخَلفَك مَلَك المَوت، فماذا تُريد أن تَعمل؟ كنتَ صبيّاً وكنتَ جاهلاً، وكنتَ شابّاً وكنتَ فاسقاً، وكنتَ شيخاً وكنتَ مُرائياً، فأين أنتَ وأين عملك؟

906. عنه عليه السلام قال: قال رسول الله صلي الله عليه و اله و سلم مَن عرف فَضْلَ كبيرٍ لِسنّه فَوَقَّره آمنه الله مِن فَزَع يَوم القيامة.

907. مرّ برسول الله صلي الله عليه و اله و سلم رجلٌ وهو في أصحابه، فقال بعضُ القوم: مجنونٌ، فقال النبيّ صلي الله عليه و اله و سلم بل هذا رجلٌ مُصاب، إنّما المجنون عبدٌ أو أمةٌ أبليا شبابهما في غير طاعة الله.

908. عن الصادق عليه السلام عن النبيّ صلي الله عليه و اله و سلم قال: إذا بلغ المرء أربعين سَنةٍ آمنه الله مِن الأدواء الثلاثة: مِن الجُنون والجُذام والبَرَص، فإذا بلغ الخمسين خفّف الله عليه حسابه، فإذا بلغ الستّين رزقه الله الإنابة إليه، فإذا بلغ السبعين أحبّه الله وأهل السماء، فإذا بلغ الثمانين أمر الله سبحانه و تعالي بإثبات حَسَناته وإلقاء سيّئاته، فإذا بلغ التسعين غفر الله سبحانه و تعالي له ما تقدّم مِن ذنبه وما تأخّر، وكُتِب أسير الله في الأرض.

909. قال رسول الله صلي الله عليه و اله و سلم إنّ الله لَيُكرم أبناء السبعين ويستحي مِن أبناء الثمانين أن يعذّبهم.

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910- God's Prophet (a.s) said: "And old man to his family is like a Prophet to his nation."

911- God's Prophet (a.s) said: "Whenever a man reaches the age of forty and his good deeds do not outweigh his bad deeds, Satan will kiss him and say: This is the face of one who will not prosper."

912- God's Prophet (a.s) said: "The one who passes the age of forty and his good deeds do not outweigh his bad deeds should be prepared for the Fire (of Hell)."

913- Imam Baqir (a.s) said: "Whenever a man reaches the age of forty a divine call will say: The time to depart is approaching. Prepare something for your trip to the other world."

914- Abdullah ibn Aban narrated that Imam Reza (a.s) said: "O' servants of God! Honor your elders, and visit your relations of kin. Nothing is better in associating with your relatives than not bothering them."

915- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: "Imam Hussein never walked ahead of Imam Hassan, and never spoke first in public in order to respect him."

916- God's Prophet (a.s) said: "God will not punish in the Fire anyone who is Muslim for sixty years. God will protect anyone who is Muslim for seventy years from the painful punishment. God will not do the reckoning for any one who is a Muslim for eighty years."

917- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: "On the Resurrection Day, they will bring an old man and hand him his record of deeds in a way that he can see it but the people cannot see what is written on it. He will see nothing but a long list of bad deeds that are recorded. He asks God if He orders him to enter Hell. God the Almighty will say: "O' old man! I am ashamed to punish you since you prayed for Me all your life. Take My servant to Heaven."

918- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: When one reaches the age of thirty-three he has reached his maximum strength. When he reaches the age of forty, he feels some deficiencies. It is better for him to be like one who is about to die when he is fifty years old."

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910. وقال صلي الله عليه و اله و سلم الشيخ في أهله كالنبيّ في أُمّته.

911. وقال صلي الله عليه و اله و سلم إذا بلغ الرجل أربعين سنةٍ ولم يغلب خيرُه شرَّه قَبَّل الشيطان بين عينيه، وقال: هذا وجهٌ لا يفلح.

912. وقال النبيّ صلي الله عليه و اله و سلم مَن جاوز الأربعين ولم يغلب خيرُه شرَّه فليتجهّز إلَى النار.

913. وقال الباقر عليه السلام إذا بلغ الرجل أربعين سنةٍ نادى مُنادٍ مِن السماء قد دَنا الرحيل فأعد الزاد.

914. عن عبد الله بن أبان عن الرضا عليه السلام قال: يا عبد الله، عظّموا كباركم وصِلوا أرحامكم، فليس تصلونهم بشيءٍ أفضل مِن كفّ الأذى عنهم.

915. عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: ما مَشىَ الحسين بين يَدَي الحسن عليهما السلام قطّ، ولا بدره بمنطقٍ إذا اجتمعا تعظيماً له.

916. وعن النبيّ صلي الله عليه و اله و سلم قال: مَن عاش في الإسلام ستّين سنةٍ حقٌّ علىَ الله أن لا يعذّبه بالنار، ومَن عاش في الإسلام سبعين سنةٍ آمنه الله مِن الفزع الأكبر، ومَن عاش في الإسلام ثمانين سنةٍ رفع عنه القلم ولا يحاسب معه.

917. عن الصادق عليه السلام قال: يؤتى بالشيخ يَومَ القيامة فيدفع إليه كتابه ظاهرةً ممّا يلي الناس؛ لا يرى إلاّ مَساوي فيطول ذلك عليه، فيقول: يا رب أتأمرني إلىَ النار؟ فيقول الجبّار جلّ جلاله: يا شيخ، إنّي أستحي أن أُعذّبك وقد} بالنار". {كنتَ تُصلّي في دار الدنيا، اذهبوا بعبدي إلىَ الجنّة.

918. وعنه عليه السلام قال: وإذا بلغ العبد ثلاثاً وثلاثين سنةٍ فقد بلغ أشدّه، وإذا بلغ أربعين سنةٍ فقد بلغ مُنتهاه، وإذا طعن في إحدى وأربعين فهو في النُقصان، وينبغي لصاحب الخمسين أن يكون كمن كان في النزع