Chapter 5

On the Sufferings of Believers

 1654- In Al-Mahasin it is narrated that Abu Hamzeh narrated that Imam Sajjad (a.s) said: "O' Abu Hamzeh! The people will not leave you even if you leave them, and they will not abandon you if you abandon them." Abu Hamzeh said: "Then what should I do?" He said: "Grant them something now that you can as a savings for when you become needy."

1655- Murazem narrated that Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: "O' Murazem! Always treat the people nicely, even if they swear at us."

1656- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: "There has never been a Prophet or a believer, and shall never be any, until the Resurrection Day who does not have a neighbor who bothers him."

1657- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: "There has never been a Prophet or a believer, and shall never be any, until the Resurrection Day who does not have a relative who bothers him."

1658- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: "A believer always has one or more of the following troubles. Either a person with whom he lives in the same house will close the door and not let him in, or there is a neighbor who will bother him, or someone will bother him on his way to work. Even if a believer lives on the top of a mountain, God will appoint a Satan to disturb him. God will establish a companion out of his own faith for him not to fear anyone."

1659- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: "If a believer is at sea on just a piece of wood, God will send a Satan to bother him."
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الفصل الخامس

في ذكر ما جاء في المؤمن وما يلقى من
أذى الناس وبغضهم إيّاه

 1654. من كتاب المحاسن: عن أبي حمزة قال: قال عليّ بن الحسين عليهما السلام : يا أبا حمزة، إن تركت الناس لم يتركوك، وإن رفضتَهُم لم يرفضوك، قلتُ: وما أصنع جُعلتُ فِداك؟ قال: أعطِهِم مِن عرضك ليوم فقرك.

1655. عن مرازم عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: قال لي: يا مرازم، لا يكن بينك وبين الناس إلا خيرٌ وإن شتمونا.

1656. عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: ما كان ولا يكون ولا هو كائنٌ إلى يوم القيامة نبيٌّ ولا مؤمنٌ إلا وله جارٌ يؤُذيه.

1657. عنه عليه السلام قال: قال رسول الله صلي الله عليه و اله و سلم: ما كان ولا يكون ولا هو كائنٌ إلى يوم القيامة نبيٌّ ولا مؤمنٌ إلا وله رحمٌ يُؤذيه.

1658. عنه عليه السلام قال: ما أفَلَت المؤمن مِن واحدةٍ مِن ثلاثٍ، ولَرُبّما اجتمعت الثلاث عليه: إمّا بغضُ مَن يكون معه في الدار يغلق عليه بابه ويؤذيه، أو جارٌ يؤذيه، أو مَن في طريقه إلى حوائجه يؤذيه، ولو أنّ مؤمنا على قُلّة جَبَلٍ لبعث الله إليه شيطانا يؤذيه، ويجعل الله له مِن إيمانه أُنساً لا يستوحش معه إلى أحدٍ.

1659. عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: لو أنّ مؤمناً على لوحٍ في البحر لَقيّض الله له شيطاناً يُؤذيه.

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1660- Imam Sadiq (a.s) quoted on the authority of God's Prophet (a.s): "God the Almighty said: "Whoever bothers My believing servants has declared war against Me. Whoever honors My believing servants will be secure from My Wrath. If only one believer and one just leader remain on the Earth from the East to the West from all My creatures, that will be sufficient for Me to maintain the heavens and the Earth, and I will need none of what I have created on the Earth. I will establish a companion from their faith for them such that they never feel they need anyone else."

1661- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: "A believer is always faced with either another believer who is jealous of him- this being the easiest problem, or a hypocrite who is always in his pursuit, or an enemy who is fighting him, or a Satan who fools him."

1662- Abi al-Sabah al-Kanani narrated that once when he was with Imam Sadiq (a.s) an old man entered and said: "O' Aba Abdullah! I am old and am complaining about my children and their ingratitude, and my brothers and their cruelty to me." Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: "O' old man! There is a government for the right and a government for falsehood. Either form of government is humiliated in the other form of government. The least a believer suffers from a government for falsehood is getting hurt by his children, and cruelty from his brothers. No believer can be comfortable under a government of falsehood, and will suffer from physical, material or child-related problems before death, until God frees him from what he has earned during the rule of the government of falsehood, and increases his benefits in the government of the right. Thus persevere, and rejoice."

1663- In Rauzat al-Vaezeen it is narrated that God's Prophet (a.s) said: "Whoever treats the people with leniency will die as a martyr."

1664- God's Prophet (a.s) said: "Treating the people with leniency is a form of charity."

1665- It has been narrated that Moses, the son of Imran said: "O' God! What is the reward of one who perseveres in the face of people hurting and beating him?" God the Almighty said: "I will help him against the fear of Resurrection Day."

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1660. عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: قال رسول الله صلي الله عليه و اله و سلم: قال الله تبارك وتعالى: ليأذن بحربٍ منّي مَن آذى عبدي المؤمن، وليأمنَ غضبي مَن أكرم عبدي المؤمن، ولو لم يكن مِن خلقي في الأرض ما بين المشرق والمغرب إلا مؤمنٌ واحدٌ مع إمامٍ عادلٍ لأستغنيتُ بهما عن جميع ما خلقتُ في أرضي، ولقامت سبع سماوات وأرضين بهما، وجعلتُ لهما من إيمانهما أُنساً لا يحتاجان إلى أُنسٍ سواهما.

1661. قال عليه السلام أربعةٌ لا يخلو منهنّ المؤمن أو واحدةٍ منهنّ: مؤمنٌ يحسده وهي أيسرهنّ، ومنافقٌ يقفو إثره، وعدوٌّ يُجاهده، وشيطان يُفتنه.

1662. عن أبي الصباح الكناني قال: كنتُ عند أبي عبد الله عليه السلام فدخل عليه شيخٌ كبيرٌ فقال: يا أبا عبد الله، أشكو إليك ولدي وعقوقهم وإخواني وجَفاهم لي عند كِبَر سنّي، فقال أبو عبد الله عليه السلام يا هذا، إنّ للحقّ دولةً وللباطل دولةً، واحدٌ منهما ذليلٌ في دولة صاحبه، وإنّ أدنى ما يُصيب المؤمن في دولة الباطل العُقوق مِن ولده والجفاء مِن إخوانه، وما مِن مؤمنٍ يُصيب شيئاً مِن الرفاهية في دولة الباطل إلا ابتلى قبل موته، إمّا في بدنه وإمّا في ولده وماله، حتّى يخلصه الله بما اكتسب في دولة الباطل ويُوفّر له حظّه في دولة الحقّ، فاصبر وأبشر.

1663. من روضة الواعظين: قال النبيّ صلي الله عليه و اله و سلم: مَن عاش مُداريا مات شهيداً.

1664. وقال صلي الله عليه و اله و سلم: مُداراةُ الناس صَدقةٌ.

1665. وروي أنّ موسى بن عمران قال: إلهي فما جزاءُ مَن صبر على أذى الناس وشتْمِهم فيك؟ قال: أُعينه على أهوال يوم القيامة.

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1666- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: "A believer always suffers either from a neighbor who is jealous of him, or a Satan who beguiles him, or a hypocrite who always follows him, or a believer who is jealous of him." Suma'eh asked: "May I be your devoted servant! A believer is jealous of him?" The Imam (a.s) replied: "Yes. Know that this is the worst of them all." Suma'eh asked why. Then Imam Sadiq (a.s) replied: "Because he slanders and others acknowledge it."

1667- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: "Try to remain unknown as much as you can. What will happen if the people do not admire you and you are blamed by the people but you are praiseworthy near God?"

1668- In Al-Mahasin it is narrated that Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: "Whoever does not withstand the people's cruelty is not grateful for blessings."

1669- Imam Baqir (a.s) said: "God has established a covenant with a believer in four areas: the hardest one is a believer who says the same things but is jealous of him; a hypocrite who always follows him; Satan who influences and corrupts him; and an infidel who does not believe in what he believes in, and considers fighting with the believer as a holy war for himself. Then how can a believer survive all this?"

1670- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: "If you want to be among my believing brothers and companions, you must prepare yourselves for the people's hatred and animosity. Otherwise you are not amongst my companions."

1671- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: "The disciples of Jesus the son of Mary (a.s) complained to him about what they had sufferred from the people. He said: "Believers are always subject to the hatred of the people. They are similar to wheat which is sweet and has many enemies."

1672- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: "God likes people whom others treat with enmity."

1673- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: "A believer's faith is not proved unless he is even worse than a donkey's corpse in the eyes of the public."

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1660. عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: قال رسول الله صلي الله عليه و اله و سلم: قال الله تبارك وتعالى: ليأذن بحربٍ منّي مَن آذى عبدي المؤمن، وليأمنَ غضبي مَن أكرم عبدي المؤمن، ولو لم يكن مِن خلقي في الأرض ما بين المشرق والمغرب إلا مؤمنٌ واحدٌ مع إمامٍ عادلٍ لأستغنيتُ بهما عن جميع ما خلقتُ في أرضي، ولقامت سبع سماوات وأرضين بهما، وجعلتُ لهما من إيمانهما أُنساً لا يحتاجان إلى أُنسٍ سواهما.

1661. قال عليه السلام أربعةٌ لا يخلو منهنّ المؤمن أو واحدةٍ منهنّ: مؤمنٌ يحسده وهي أيسرهنّ، ومنافقٌ يقفو إثره، وعدوٌّ يُجاهده، وشيطان يُفتنه.

1662. عن أبي الصباح الكناني قال: كنتُ عند أبي عبد الله عليه السلام فدخل عليه شيخٌ كبيرٌ فقال: يا أبا عبد الله، أشكو إليك ولدي وعقوقهم وإخواني وجَفاهم لي عند كِبَر سنّي، فقال أبو عبد الله عليه السلام يا هذا، إنّ للحقّ دولةً وللباطل دولةً، واحدٌ منهما ذليلٌ في دولة صاحبه، وإنّ أدنى ما يُصيب المؤمن في دولة الباطل العُقوق مِن ولده والجفاء مِن إخوانه، وما مِن مؤمنٍ يُصيب شيئاً مِن الرفاهية في دولة الباطل إلا ابتلى قبل موته، إمّا في بدنه وإمّا في ولده وماله، حتّى يخلصه الله بما اكتسب في دولة الباطل ويُوفّر له حظّه في دولة الحقّ، فاصبر وأبشر.

1663. من روضة الواعظين: قال النبيّ صلي الله عليه و اله و سلم: مَن عاش مُداريا مات شهيداً.

1664. وقال صلي الله عليه و اله و سلم: مُداراةُ الناس صَدقةٌ.

1665. وروي أنّ موسى بن عمران قال: إلهي فما جزاءُ مَن صبر على أذى الناس وشتْمِهم فيك؟ قال: أُعينه على أهوال يوم القيامة.

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1674- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: "God will place a believer in situations where others will not accept his words, and when fighting with the enemies he will not be justly dealt with."

1675- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: "God has placed believers as a target for His enemies: "Then God saved him from (every) ill that they plotted (against him)." [The Holy Quran: Mu-min 40:45]
Know that by God the enemies surrounded him and killed him, but God protected His religion from any attacks."

1676- Mufaz'zil ibn Umar narrated that a man came to Imam Sadiq (a.s) when Umar was also there and said: "Our ancestors believed that when God loves someone, there is a Heavenly call that announces: "God loves him, therefore you love him too", and God makes everyone love him; and whenever God is angry with someone, there is a Heavenly call that announces: "God is angry with him and you be angry with him too", and God makes everyone angry with him." Then Imam Sadiq (a.s) who was leaning (on the pillow) sat up straight and shook his sleeves and said: "It is not so. When God loves someone, he will test other people by him, so others say things about him and he gets rewarded, and they commit a sin. When God is angry with someone, He will place his love in the people's heart so that they say things about him which are not right and both he and they commit a sin. Who was dearer to God than John the son of Zacharia? God excited some people against him and they killed him. Who is dearer to God than Hussein, the son of Ali (a.s)? God excited some people and they killed him. No. It is not as you say."

1677- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: "There were people before you who believed like you. When one of them was captured by the infidels, they chopped of his hands and feet, hung him on a palm tree and chopped him into pieces. He did not mind it and persevered." Then Imam Sadiq (a.s) recited the following verse: "Or do ye think that ye shall enter the Garden (of Bliss) without such (trials) as came to those who passed away before you? They encountered suffering and adversity." [The Holy Quran: Baqara 2:214]

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1674. عنه عليه السلام قال: إنّ الله جعل المؤمن على أن لا يقبل قوله ولا ينتصف مِن عدوّه.

1675. عنه عليه السلام قال: إنّ الله جعل المؤمن في الدُنيا غرضاً لِعَدوّه في قوله سبحانه و تعالي: ]فَوَقاهُ الله سَيِّئاتِ ما مَكَروا[ فقال: أما والله لقد بسطوا عليه فقتلوه، ولكن وقاه أن يفتنوه في دينه.

1676. عن المفضّل بن عُمر قال: قال رجلٌ لأبي عبد الله -عليه السلام وأنا عنده-: إنّ مِن قبلنا يقولون: إنّ الله إذا أحبَّ عبداً نوّه منوّه باسمه مِن السماء: إنّ الله يُحبّ فُلاناً فأحبّوه، فيُلقي الله محبّته في قلوب العباد، وإذا أبغض عبداً نوّه منوّه باسمه مِن السماء: إنّ الله يُبغض فُلاناً فابغضوه، فيُلقي الله له البغضاء في قلوب العباد. قال: وكان أبو عبد الله عليه السلام مُتّكئاً فاستوى قاعداً ثمّ نفض كُمّه وقال: ليس هكذا، ولكن إذا أحبَّ الله عبداً أغرى به الناس ليقولوا فيه ما يؤجره ويؤثمهم، وإذا أبغض عبداً ألقى المحبّة في قلوب العِباد ليقولوا فيه ما ليس فيه فيؤثمهم وإيّاه، ثمّ قال عليه السلام مَن كان أحبّ إلى الله مِن يحيى بن زكريّا؟ ثمّ أغرى به جميع مَن رأيت حتّى صنعوا به ما صنعوا، ومَن كان أحبّ إلى الله مِن الحسين بن عليّ عليهما السلام ثمّ أغرى به مَن أغرى مِن الناس حتّى قتلوه ليس كما قالوا.

1677. عنه عليه السلام قال: إنّ مَن كان قبلكم ممّن هو على ما أنتم عليه ليُؤخذ الرجل منهم فتُقطّع يداه ورِجلاه ويُصلب على جُذوع النخل ويُشقّ بالمِنشار فلا يعدو ذلك نفسه، ثمّ تلا قوله سبحانه و تعالي: ]أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَنْ تَدْخُلُوا الجنَّةَ وَلمَّا يَأْتِكُمْ مِثْلَ الَّذينَ خَلَوْا مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ مَسَّتْهُمْ الْبَأْساءُ وَالضَّرَّاءُ[ الآية.
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1678- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: "Before you there were people whose heads were cut across with a saw such that the saw left their bodies from between their legs, but they did not mind it and persevered. If anyone of them suffered from such a calamity, he would not mind it and did not divulge the secrets of the rest of the nation?"

1679- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said the following regarding the verse: "This because they went on rejoicing the Signs of God and slaying the Messengers without just cause. This because they rebelled and went on transgressing." [The Holy Quran: Baqara 2:61], "I swear by God that they did not fight the Prophets with their hands or kill them with their swords. Rather they heard their secrets, divulged them and the Prophets were arrested and killed. This is why their deeds are considered slaying, transgression and sin."

1680- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: "There are more Satans around a believer than there are flies stuck to meat."

1681- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: "There has not been and will not be any Prophets or believers without a relative or a neighbor to hurt him. This is what is meant by the Almighty God's statement: "Thus have We made for every Prophet an enemy among the sinners." [The Holy Quran: Furqan 25:31]

1682- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: "Persevere in the face of tragedies since God tests the believers. Your believing brothers are always a few, and the least number of people gather around believers."

1683- Imam Baqir (a.s) said: "Some people suffered at the time of the Prophet Hud (a.s). They went to him to ask him to pray to God to send down rain from His Mercy. Then a vulgar shrew came out of Hud's house and said: "Why does Hud not say this prayer for himself?" The people asked her to take them to Hud. She told them that he was on the farm watering it. They went there and saw that after Hud watered each part of the farm, he stood up and said two units of prayer. Then Hud noticed them and asked: "What do you want?" They said: "We came to you to ask for something, and saw something even more amazing. We saw a vulgar shrew leave your house and yell at us." He said: "She is my wife and I hope that she lives a long life." They said: "O' Prophet of God! Why do you wish her to live a long life?" He said: "Because there is someone to bother every believer, and I thank God that He has established a person who is subject to me to be the one to bother me. If it was no so, someone worse than her would bother me."
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1678. عنه عليه السلام قال: إنّ مَن كان قَبلكم ليوضع المنشار على مفرق رأسه فيخرج بين رجليه فلا يعدو نفسه، وإنّ أحد هؤلاء لو بُلي بشيءٍ مِن ذلك لأهلك أُمّةً مِن الأُمم.

1679. عنه عليه السلام قال: في قوله سبحانه و تعالي: ]ذلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كانُوا يَكْفُرُونَ بِآياتِ الله وَيَقْتُلُونَ الْنَّبِيِّينَ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ ذَلِكَ بِما عَصَوْا وَكانُوا يَعْتَدُونَ[ فقال لهم: أما والله ما حارَبوهم بأيديهم ولا قتلوهم بأسيافهم! ولكن سمعوا أحاديثهم فأذاعوها عليهم فأُخذوا وقتلوا، فصار قتلاً واعتداءً ومعصيةً.

1680. عنه عليه السلام قال: الشياطين على المؤمن أكثر مِن الذُباب على اللحم.

1681. عنه عليه السلام قال: ما كان ولا يكون وليس بكائنٍ نبيٌّ ولا مؤمنٌ إلاّ وقد سلّط عليه حميمٌ يؤذيه، فإن لم يكن حميمٌ فجارٌ يؤذيه، وذلك قوله سبحانه و تعالي: ]وَكَذَلِكَ جَعَلْنا لِكُلِّ نَبِيٍّ عَدُوّا مِنَ الْمُجْرِمينَ.[

1682. عنه عليه السلام قال: إن أصابكم تمحيصٌ فاصبروا، فإنّما يبتلي الله المؤمنين ولم يزل إخوانكم قليلاً، ألا وإنّ أقلّ أهل المحشر المؤمنون.

1683. عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام قال: أصاب القحط قوما في زمان هود النبيّ عليه السلام فأتوه ليستسقي لهم، فخرجت عليهم مِن منزله عجوزٌ سليطةٌ صيّاحةٌ فقالت: فلم لا يستسقي لنفسه؟ فقالوا: أرشدينا إليه، فقالت: هو في زرعٍ له يستسقيه فأتوه، فأتيناه فإذا هو كلّما زرع باباً قام فصلّى ركعتين، فالتفت إليهم فقال: ما حاجتُكم؟ قالوا: جئناك في حاجةٍ فرأينا أعجب ممّا جئنا، قال: وما رأيتم؟ قالوا: رأينا عجوزاً خرجت مِن منزلك سليطةً صيّاحةً فصاحت في وجوهنا، فقال: تلك امرأتي وإنّي لأُحبُّ طول بقائها، فقالوا يا نبيّ الله، وما تُحبّ مِن طول بقائها؟ قال: إنّه ليس مِن مؤمنٍ إلا وله مَن يؤذيه، فأنا أحمدُ الله أن جعل الّذي يؤذيني تحت يدي، ولو لا ذلك لسلّط عليّ شرّاً منها.
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1684- Ameer al-Momineen (a.s) quoted on the authority of God's Prophet (a.s): "Even if a believer goes into a mouse hole, God will send something to bother him."

1685- God's Prophet (a.s) said: "A believer is forgiven."

1686- Ameer al-Momineen (a.s) quoted on the authority of God's Prophet (a.s): "The world will not come to an end unless a believer's heart melts, and a believer gets more humiliated than a dead sheep."

1687- Imam Baqir (a.s) said: "A believer always has problems in his private life. Even if he is not married, he will have trouble with his close neighbors."

1688- Imam Hassan (a.s) quoted on the authority of his father (a.s): "A Shiite will not be at a loss no matter how he dies, whether he is eaten by wild beasts, burnt, drowned, hung or killed. I swear by God that he is among the ranks of the righteous ones and martyrs."
( 707 )

1684. عن أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام قال: قال رسول الله صلي الله عليه و اله و سلم: لو كان المؤمن في جُحر فارةٍ لقيّض الله له مَن يؤذيه.

1685. وقال صلي الله عليه و اله و سلم: المؤمنُ مُكفّرٌ.

1686. عنه عليه السلام قال: قال رسول الله صلي الله عليه و اله و سلم: لا تذهب الدُنيا حتّى يذوب قلب المؤمن، ولا تذهب الدُنيا حتّى يكون المؤمن أذلّ مِن شاةٍ ميتةٍ.

1687. عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام قال: إنّ المؤمن ابتلى بأهل بيته الخاصّة، فإن لم يكن له أهل بيتٍ فجاره الأدنى فالأدنى.

1688. عن الحسن بن عليّ بن أبي طالب: قال: سمعتُه يقول: ما يضرُّ الرجل مِن شيعتنا أيُّ ميتةٍ يموت، أكل السبع، أو احتُرق بالنار، أو أُغرق بالماء، أو صُلِب، أو قُتِل، هو والله صدِّيقٌ شهيدٌ.
( 708 )

Chapter 6

On Calamities and Trials

 1689- In Al-Sabr val-Ta'deeb it is narrated that Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: "A believer asks God for something he needs, but God puts it off and says: "I delay fulfilling his needs due to My eagerness to his supplication." When the Hereafter comes, the Almighty God says: "O' My servant! You asked Me for something in the world, but I delayed fulfilling it. Here is the reward. You then asked Me for something else, but I delayed fulfilling it again. Here is the reward." The The Imam (a.s) said: "At this time the believer who sees all the good rewards, wishes that his needs in the world for which he prayed had never been fulfilled."

1690- Imam Kazim (a.s) said: "God the Almighty said: I did not make the rich ones rich for their honor near Me, and I did not make the poor ones poor for their humiliation near Me. Rather this is how I test the rich by the poor people. If there were no poor people, none of the rich people could be certified to go to Heaven."

1691- Imam Baqir (a.s) said: "Two angels who were descending from the heavens to the Earth met each other. One asked the other about his mission. He said: "God gave me the mission to go to sea to force a fish to go to one of the oppressors so he, who had wished to catch it, would be able to do so. So I must go and force that fish in the sea towards him so that the oppressor can catch it, and achieve his last goal." The other angel said: "My divine mission is even stranger than yours. God gave me the mission to go to a believer who is fasting and stays up at night to worship God, and is such a good worshipper that he is famous in the heavens. I am supposed to turn over the pan of food that he has just prepared for breaking his fast since God wants to test his faith this way."
( 709 )

الفصل السادس

في الابتلاء والاختبار

 1689. مِن كتاب الصبر والتأديب: عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: إنّ المؤمن ليدعو الله تعالى في حاجةٍ فيقول الله: أخّرتُ حاجتَه شوقا إلى دُعائه، فإذا كان يوم القيامة يقول الله تعالى: عبدي دَعَوتني في كذا فأخّرتُ إجابتك وثوابك كذا، ودعوتني في كذا فأخّرتُ إجابتك وثوابك كذا، قال: فيتمنّى المؤمن أنّه لم يُستجب له دعوةٌ في الدُنيا لِما يرى مِن حُسن ثوابه.

1690. عن أبي الحسن موسى عليه السلام قال: إنّ الله سبحانه و تعالي يقول: إنّي لم أغن الغني لكرامةٍ له عليَّ، ولم أفقر الفقير لهوانٍ به عليَّ؛ وهو ممّا ابتليتُ به الأغنياء بالفُقراء، ولولا الفقراء لم يستوجب الأغنياء الجنّة.

1691. عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام قال: إنّ مَلكين هبطا مِن السماء فالتقيا في الهواء، فقال أحدهما لصاحبه: فيم هبطت؟ قال: بعثني الله إلى بحر إيلةٍ أحشّ سمكةً إلى جبارٍ من الجبابرةِ تشهّى عليه سمكة في ذلك البحر، فأمرني [أن] أحشّ إلى الصيّاد سمك ذلك البحر حتّى يأخذها له ليبلغ الله بالكافر غاية مناه في كُفره، وقال الآخر: ففيم بعثت أنت؟ فقال: بعثني الله في أعجب مِن الّذي بعثك فيه، بعثني إلى عبده المؤمن الصائم القائم المجتهد المعروف دُعاؤه وصلاته في السماء، لأُكفي قدره الّتي طبخها لإفطاره ليبلغ الله بالمؤمن الغاية في اختبار إيمانه.
( 710 )

1692- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: "God sent down an angel to Earth. He stayed on the Earth for a long time and then returned to the heavens. He was asked: "What did you see there?" He said: "I saw many amazing things there, but the most amazing thing that I saw was someone who abused your blessings. He ate of what You provided for his sustenance, but claimed to be god. I was amazed at his boldness and Your Patience." God the Almighty said: "You were amazed at My Patience? I let him live for four hundred years, and he never got ill. I granted to him whatever he wanted in the world, and I never changed his food and drinks."

1693- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: "God will push believers away from what they like but He dislikes, just as a man pushes away a camel with scabies from his other camels."

1694- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: "One day Moses (a.s) was walking along the shore. A fisherman came suddenly and prostrated to the sun and said some polytheistic things and words. Then he cast his net in the sea and pulled it out filled with fish, and did the same thing again twice and got a lot of fish like the first time. Next someone else came. He made ablution and stood to pray. He praised the Lord and cast his net into the sea, but got no fish when he pulled it out. He did it again and again, but only caught a small fish the third time. He thanked God and left. Then Moses said: "O' Lord! The atheist servant came, and cast his net three times and pulled it out full of fish. Then Your believing servant made ablution and said his prayers and praised you and cast his net three times but only managed to catch one fish. Then he praised you and left!" God told Moses: "Look to the right." Moses looked to the right. The curtain to the Unseen was pushed aside and he saw the position that God had prepared for the believer. Then God said: "O' Moses! Look to the left." He turned around and looked to the left. The curtain to the Unseen was pushed aside and he saw the position that God had prepared for the atheist. Then God said: "O' Moses! What I did for the believer did not harm him, and what I did for the atheist one did not benefit him." Then Moses said: "O' Lord! It is right that whoever recognizes You is content with Your deeds."
( 711 )

1692. عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: إنّ الله أهبط ملكا إلى الأرض فلبث فيها دهراً طويلاً، ثمّ عرج إلى السماء فقيل له: ما رأيت؟ قال: رأيتُ عجائب كثيرةً، ومِن أعجب ما رأيت إنّي رأيتُ مُتقلّباً في نعمك يأكل رزقك ويدّعي الربُوبيّة لنفسه فعجبتُ مِن جرأته عليك ومِن حِلمك منه! فقال الله: أفمِن حِلمي عجبت؟ فإنّي قد أملكتُه أربعمائة عامٍ لا يضرب عليه عرقٌ ولا يريد مِن الدُنيا شيئاً إلا أتاه ولا يتغيّر عليه مَطعمٌ ولا مشربٌ.

1693. عنه عليه السلام قال: إنّ الله يذود العبد المؤمن عمّا يكره ممّا يشتهي المؤمن كما يذود الرجل البَعير الأجرب عن إبله ممّا ليس منها.

1694. عنه عليه السلام قال: بينا موسى -صلوات الله عليه- يمشي على ساحل البحر، إذ جاء صيّادٌ فخرَّ للشمس ساجداً وتكلّم بالشرك، ثمّ ألقى شبكته فأخرجها مملوّةً، ثمّ عاد فأخرج مثل ذلك حتّى اكتفى، ثمّ مضى فجاء آخر فتوضّأ، ثمّ قام فصلّى وحمد الله وأثنى عليه، ثمّ ألقى شبكته فلم يخرج له شيءٌ، ثمّ أعاد فخرجت إليه سمكةٌ صغيرةٌ فحمد الله وانصرف. فقال موسى: يا ربّ؛ جاء عبدك الكافر فألقى شبكته ثلاثاً فخرجت له مملوّةً، ثمّ جاء عبدك المؤمن فتوضّأ فاسبغ الوضوء ثمّ صلّى وحمدك ودعاك ثمّ ألقى شبكته ثلاثاً فخرجت له سمكةٌ صغيرةٌ فحمدك وانصرف! فأوحى الله إليه يا موسى أُنظر عن يمينك، فنظر موسى فكشف له الغِطاء عمّا أعدّ الله لعبده المؤمن، ثمّ قيل: يا موسى، أُنظر عن يسارك، فنظر فكشف له الغِطاء عمّا أعدّ الله لعبده الكافر، ثمّ قال: يا موسى، ما ضرّ هذا ما صنعت به، وما نفع هذا ما أعطيته، فقال موسى: يا ربّ حقٌّ لِمَن عرفك أن يرضى بما صنعت.
( 712 )

1695- Imam Baqir (a.s) said: "A believer is so honored by God that God will even grant him Heaven with everything in it if he asks for it, without anything being reduced from God's Dominion; but God will not grant him even one foot of this world if he asks for it. An infidel is so despised by God that God will even grant him this world with everything in it if he asks for it without anything being reduced from God's Dominion; but God will not grant him even one foot of Heaven if he asks for it. God will attend to His believing servants through calamities, and instruct them to abstain from this world just as a doctor instructs his patients to abstain from things."

1696- Imam Baqir (a.s) said: "God will grant this world to His friends and His enemies, but will only give the Hereafter to His friends. God will not grant to His believing servants even enough room for one whip from this world if they ask for it, and grant him whatever he wants from the Hereafter. God will grant to the infidels from this world before they ask for it, but will not grant them even enough room for a whip from Heaven if they ask for it."

1697- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: "God the Almighty will apologize to his needy servants in this world just as a brother apologizes to his brother, and says: "I swear by My Honor that I did not make you poor to humiliate you. Now push the curtain aside and see what I have given you instead. When the curtain is pushed aside and he sees what God Has rewarded him with instead of this world, he says: "O' God! There was no harm for me due to what You took away from me (in the world) considering what you have given me instead (now in the Hereafter)."

1698- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: "God will grant this world to both His friends and enemies, but will only give faith to His chosen servants."

1699- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: "Poverty is like a hidden treasure near God, just like martyrdom. God will only grant it to the believers that He loves."

1700- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: "Whenever God loves a servant, He will appoint two angels to put off the fulfillment of his needs and make life difficult for him so that he calls God since God likes to hear his voice."
( 713 )

1695. عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام قال: إنّ العبد المؤمن لَيُكرم على الله حتّى لو سأله الجنّة وما فيها أعطاه ولم ينتقص مِن ملكه شيءٌ، ولو سأله موضع قدمه مِن الدُنيا لَيُحرمه، وإنّ العبد الكافر لَيُهوِّنُ على الله حتّى لو سأله الدُنيا وما فيها لأعطاه، ولو سأله موضع قدمه مِن الجنّة لَيُحرمه، وإنّ الله لَيتعاهد المؤمن بالبلاء كما يتعاهد الرجل أهله بالهديّة مِن الغيبة، ويُحميه الدُنيا كما يحمي الطبيب المريض.

1696. عنه عليه السلام قال: إنّ الله يُعطي الدُنيا مَن يُحبّه ومَن يبغضه، ولا يُعطي الآخرة إلا مَن أحبّه، وإنّ العبد المؤمن يسأل ربّه موضع سوطٍ مِن الدُنيا لا يُعطيه إيّاه ويسأله الآخرة فيُعطيه ما شاء، ويُعطي الكافر في الدُنيا قبل أن يسأله، ولو سأله موضع سوطٍ في الآخرة فلا يُعطيه إيّاه.

1697. عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: إنّ الله سبحانه و تعالي ليعتذر إلى عبده الُمحتاج في الدُنيا كما يعتذر الأخ إلى أخيه فيقول: لا؛ وعزّتي ما أفقرتك لِهوانٍ بك عليَّ، فارفع هذا الغِطاء وأُنظر ما عوّضتُك مِن الدُنيا، فيُكشف له فيَنظر إلى ما عَوّضه الله مِن الدُنيا، فيقول: يا ربِّ ما ضرَّني ما منعتني مع ما عوَّضتني.

1698. عنه عليه السلام قال: إنّ الله يُعطي من الدنيا مَن يُحبّ ويُبغض، ولا يُعطي الإيمان إلا أهل صفوته من خلقه.

1699. عنه عليه السلام قال: الفقرُ مخزونٌ عند الله كالشهادة ولا يُعطيها إلا من أحبّ من عباده المؤمنين.

1700. عنه عليه السلام قال: إنّ الله إذا أحبّ عبداً وكّل به ملكين فقال: عوّقا عليه مطلبه وضيّقا عليه معيشته حتّى يدعوني، فإنّي أُحبّ صوته.
( 714 )

1701- Imam Sadiq (a.s) quoted on the authority of God's Prophet (a.s) that God the Almighty said: "I will make ill whomever I wish to send to Heaven. If it is enough penalty for his sins, it is fine. But if not, I will make life difficult for him. If it is enough of penalty for his sins, it is fine. But if it is not, I will make his death hard for him so that he comes to Me free of sin, and I let him enter Heaven. I will make perfectly healthy whomever I wish to send to Hell. If what he asks Me is completely fulfilled this way, then it is fine. But if it is not, I will free him from the fear of the oppressors. If what he asks Me is completely fulfilled this way, it is fine. But if it is not, I will make his death an easy one so that when he comes to meet Me, none of his good deeds have remained un-rewarded. Then I will send him to Hell."

1702- Imam Baqir (a.s) said: "One has a very high noble position near God. God will make him suffer a lot of calamities to reach that position. Lots of people will rush in to express their condolence to him and express their sympathy. If the people only knew what position God has granted him, they would have never sympathized with him, or expressed their condolence. God sends down some worldly things to some people to seize their Hereafter, and the people rush in to express congratulations. If the people only knew what is awaiting him in the Hereafter, they would have never become happy or congratulated him."

1703- Salman ibn Ghanem narrated that Imam Sadiq (a.s) asked him: "How did you find the Shiites?" He said: "I found them needy, while difficulties came towards them faster than rain water flows towards the drain." Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: "God is the Helper. Are you pleased with your belief or do you prefer to be paid one hundred thousand Durhams instead?" He said: "I swear by God that I do not want it even if it is as much gold as the mountains of Mecca." Who is more self-sufficient than you and your companions? None of you have anything to lose, even if you wander about and eat the leaves of the trees and plants until your death approaches."

1704- Imam Baqir (a.s) quoted on the authority of God's Prophet (a.s): "God does not need anyone whose body and wealth are of no benefit to God."
( 715 )

1701. عنه عليه السلام قال: قال رسول الله صلي الله عليه و اله و سلم: قال الله سبحانه و تعالي: ما من عبدٍ أُريدُ أن أُدخله الجنّة إلا ابتليته في جسده، فإن كان ذلك كفّارة لذنوبه وإلا ضيّقت عليه فيرزقه، فإن كان ذلك كفّارة لذنوبه وإلا شددت عليه الموت حتّى يأتيني ولا ذنب له ثمّ أُدخله الجنّة، وما من عبدٍ أُريدُ أن أُدخله النار إلا صحّحتُ جسمه، فإن كان ذلك تماما لطلبته عندي وإلا أمنتُ له من سلطانه، فإن كان ذلك تماما لطلبته وإلا هوّنت عليه الموت حتّى يأتيني ولا حسنة له ثمّ أُدخله النار.

1702. عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام قال: إنّ العبد ليكون له عند الله الدرجة السنيّة العظيمة الشريفة، فيبتليه بالبلاء لكي ينال تلك الدرجة، فيعدوا إليه الناس أفواجا يعزّونه ويتوجّعون له ممّا أصابه، ولو علموا ما آتاه الله من تلك الدرجة لم يتوجّع له أحدٌ ولم يعزّه أحدٌ، وإنّ العبد ليبتليه الله بالشيء ليوقف به آخرته، فيعدوا إليه أفواجٌ يهنّؤونه ويفرحون له لما أُوتي في الدنيا، ولو يعلمون ما أُوتي له من آخرته لم يهنّئه أحدٌ ولم يفرح.

1703. عن سلمان بن غانم قال: سألني أبو عبد الله عليه السلام كيف تركت الشيعة؟ فقلت: تركت الحاجة فيهم والبلاء أسرع إليهم من الميزاب السريع في ماء المطر، فقال: الله المستعان، ثمّ قال: أيسرّك الأمر الّذي أنت عليه أم مائة ألف؟ قلت: لا والله ولا جبال تهامة ذهباً، فقال: مَن أغنى منك ومن أصحابك ما على أحدكم، ولو ساح في الأرض يأكل من ورق الشجر ونبت الأرض حتّى يأتيه الموت.

1704. عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام قال: قال رسول الله صلي الله عليه و اله و سلم: لا حاجة لله فيمن ليس له في نفسه وماله نصيب.