Book ID

In the Name of Allah,

the All-beneficent, the All-merciful

نام کتاب: دور أهل البیت (ع) فی بناء الجماعة الصالحة / ج 6

نویسنده: آیة الله سید محمد باقر الحکیم

مترجم: بدر شاهین

زبان ترجمه: انگلیسی

Title: The Role of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) in Building the Virtuous Community, Book Six: The System of Social Relations of the Virtuous Community

Author: Āyatullāh Sayyid Muḥammad Bāqir Al-ḥakīm

Project supervisor: Translation Unit, Cultural Affairs Department Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) World Assembly (ABWA)

Translator: Badr Shahin

Editor: Iffat Shah and Carol Ahmadi

Revised by: Ashraf Carl Eastman Ahmadi

Publisher: ABWA Publishing and Printing Center

First Printing: 2011

Printed by: Mojab

Copies: 5000

ISBN:

© Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) World Assembly (ABWA)

All rights reserved.

www.ahl-ul-bayt.org

info@ahl-ul-bayt.org

قال الله تعالی:

إِنَّمَا یُرِیدُ اللَّهُ لِیُذْهِبَ عَنْکُمْ الرِّجْسَ أَهْلَ الْبَیْتِ وَیُطَهِّرَکُمْ تَطْهِیرًا Indeed Allah desires to repel all impurity from you, O People of the Household, and purify you with a thorough purification. (Sūrat al-Aḥzāb 33:33).

Prophetic traditions mentioned in both in Sunnī and Shī‘ah authoritative reference books of ḥadīth and tafsīr (exegesis of the Qur’an) have confirmed that this holy verse was revealed to exclusively refer to the People of the Cloak [ahl al-kisā’], viz. Muḥammad, ‘Alī, Fāṭimah, al-Ḥasan, and al-Ḥusayn (‘a) as the Ahl al-Bayt (People of the Household).

For instance, refer to the following references:

Sunnī

Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal (d. 241 AH), al-Musnad, 1:231; 4:107; 6:292, 304; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim (d. 261 AH), 7:130; Al-Tirmidhī (d. 279 AH), Sunan, 5:361 et al.; Al-Dūlābī (d. 310 AH), Al-Dhuriyyah al-Ṭāhirah al-Nabawiyyah, p. 108; Al-Nasā’ī (d. 303 AH), Al-Sunan al-Kubrā’, 5:108; 113; Al-Ḥakīm al-Nayshābūrī (d. 405 AH), Al-Mustadrak ‘ala’ ṣ-Ṣahīḥāyn, 2:416, 3:133, 146-147; Al-Zarkashī (d. 794 AH), Al-Burhān, p. 197; Ibn Hājar al-Asqalānī (d. 852 AH), Fatḥ al-Barī Sharḥ Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, 7:104.

Shī‘ah

Al-Kulaynī (d. 328 AH), Uṣūl al-Kāfī, 1:287; Ibn Babawayh (d. 329 AH), Al-Imāmah wa’ t-Tabṣīrah, p. 47, ḥadīth 29; Al-Maghribī (d. 363 AH), Da’ā’im al-Islām, pp. 35, 37; Al-Ṣādūq (d. 381 AH), Al-Khiṣāl, pp. 403, 550; Al-Ṭūsī (d. 460 AH), Al-Amalī, ḥadīth 438, 482, 783.

For more details, refer to the exegesis of the holy verse recorded in the following books of tafsīr: Al-Jassās (d. 370 AH), Aḥkām al-Qur’ān; Al-Wāḥidī (d. 468 AH), Asbāb al-Nuzūl; Ibn al-Jawzī (d. 597 AH), Zād al-Masīr; Al-Qurṭubī (d. 671 AH), Al-Jāmi‘ Li-Aḥkām al-Qur’ān; Ibn Kathīr (d. 774 AH), Tafsīr; Al-Tha‘labī (d. 825 AH), Tafsīr; Al-Ṭabarī (d. 875 AH), Tafsīr; Al-Suyūṭī (d. 911 AH), Al-Durr al-Manthūr; Al-Shawkānī (d. 1250 AH), Fatḥ al-Qadīr; Al-‘Ayyāshī (d. 320 AH), Tafsīr; Al-Qummī (d. 329 AH), Tafsīr; Furt al-Kūfī (d. 352 AH), Tafsīr at the margin of the exegesis of Sūrat al-Nisā’ verse 59; Al-Ṭabarsī (d. 560 AH), Majma‘ al-Bayān, as well as many other sources.

THE ROLE OF THE AHL AL-BAYT (‘a) IN Building THE VIRTUOUS COMMUNITY

BOOK SIX:

THE SYSTEM OF SOCIAL RELATIONS OF THE VIRTUOUS COMMUNITY

قال رسول الله صلی الله علیه و آله:

"إنی تارکُ فیکُمُ الثَقلین: کتاب الله، وعترتی أهلَ بیتی، ما إن تمسکتُم بهما لن تضلوا أبداً وأَنَّهُما لَن یَفترِقا حتّی یردا عَلیَّ الحوضَ"

The Messenger of Allah (ṣ) said:

“Verily, I am leaving among you two precious things [thaqalayn]: The Book of Allah and my progeny [‘itratī], the members of my Household [Ahl al-Bayt]. If you hold fast to them, you shall never go astray. These two will never separate from each other until they meet me at the Pond [ḥawḍ] (of Kawthar).”

Some references:

q Al­Ḥākim an­Nayshābūrī, Al­Mustadrak ‘alā’ṣ-Ṣaḥīḥayn (Beirut), vol. 3, pp. 109-110, 148, 533

q Muslim, Aṣ-Ṣaḥīḥ, (English translation), book 31, hadīths 5920-3

q At­Tirmidhī, Aṣ-Ṣaḥīḥ, vol. 5, pp. 621-2, hadīths 3786, 3788; vol. 2, p. 219

q An-Nasā’ī, Khaṣā’iṣ ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib, hadīth 79

q Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, Al-Musnad, vol. 3, pp. 14, 17, 26; vol. 3, pp. 26, 59; vol. 4, p. 371; vol. 5, pp. 181-182, 189-190

q Ibn al­‘Athīr, Jāmi‘ al­Uṣūl, vol. 1, p. 277

q Ibn Kathīr, Al­Bidāyah wa’n­Nihāyah, vol. 5, p. 209

q Ibn Kathīr, Tafsīr al-Qur’ān al-‘Aẓīm, vol. 6, p. 199

Naṣīr ad-Dīn al-Albanī, Silsilāt al-Aḥādīth aṣ-Ṣaḥīḥah (Kuwait: Ad-Dār aṣ-Ṣalāfiyyah), vol. 4, pp. 355-358

THE ROLE OF

THE AHL AL-BAYT

IN BUILDING THE VIRTUOUS COMMUNITY

BOOK SIX: THE SYSTEM OF SOCIAL RELATIONS OF THE VIRTUOUS COMMUNITY

AYATULLAH SAYYID MUHAMMAD BAQIR AL-HAK«M

Translator

Badr Shahin

Cultural Affairs Department Ahl al-Bayt ‘a World Assembly

نام کتاب: دور أهل البیت (ع) فی بناء الجماعة الصالحة / ج 6

نویسنده: آیة الله سید محمد باقر الحکیم

مترجم: بدر شاهین

زبان ترجمه: انگلیسی

Title: The Role of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) in Building the Virtuous Community, Book Six: The System of Social Relations of the Virtuous Community

Author: Āyatullāh Sayyid Muḥammad Bāqir Al-ḥakīm

Project supervisor: Translation Unit, Cultural Affairs Department Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) World Assembly (ABWA)

Translator: Badr Shahin

Editor: Iffat Shah and Carol Ahmadi

Revised by: Ashraf Carl Eastman Ahmadi

Publisher: ABWA Publishing and Printing Center

First Printing: 2011

Printed by: Mojab

Copies: 5000

ISBN:

© Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) World Assembly (ABWA)

All rights reserved.

www.ahl-ul-bayt.org

info@ahl-ul-bayt.org

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Book Six The System Of Social Relations

Point

Prelude

Part One: System of Social Relations: Features and Foundations

Chapter One: Features of Islamic Relations

Chapter Two: Rules and Foundations

Part Two: Superstructure of the System

Prelude

Chapter One: Superstructure and Applications of the Theory

Chapter Two: Superstructure of Rules and Foundations

Blank

Prelude

Definition of Social Relations

In Islam, the general system of social relations, along with the duties and rights ensuing from it, is one of the crucial and basic pillars on which human society relies.

The social relations system can be defined as a set of duties, traditions, etiquette, rights, and obligations that organize the common relations between people in general with individuals of the virtuous community, and the correlation and behavior of the individuals of this virtuous community with one another.

Of course, this social relations system is different from the systems that organize the relations ensuing from special promises, covenants, and contracts such as contracts of matrimony, sale, lease, allegiance, and others. These naturally produce certain sorts of rights, duties, and other obligations. Certain persons undertake other sorts of rights, duties, and responsibilities because of certain positions and offices, such as Imamate, religious authority, management, or surety.

In conclusion, the system of social relations is a set of regulations that define man’s social life and his personal responsibility towards the virtuous community. This system represents the foundation on which the other systems, which ensue from private contracts and obligations, rest so that these private systems may play their required roles in life and contribute to the attainment of perfection, because the social relations system deals with the root of social associations and human ties.

Family and the Social Relations System

The historical root of the system of social relations is

marriage and the family unit. These expanded to form clans, tribes, and peoples, as is maintained by the Holy Qur'an that reads:

یَا أَیُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّا خَلَقْنَاکُمْ مِنْ ذَکَرٍ وَأُنْثَی وَجَعَلْنَاکُمْ شُعُوبًا وَقَبَائِلَ لِتَعَارَفُوا إِنَّ أَکْرَمَکُمْ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ أَتْقَاکُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِیمٌ خَبِیرٌ

O people! Surely, We have

created you of a male and a female, and made you tribes and families that you

may know each other. Surely, the most honorable of you with Allah is the one

among you most careful of his duty. Surely, Allah is Knowing, Aware. (49:13)

یَا أَیُّهَا النَّاسُ اتَّقُوا رَبَّکُمُ الَّذِی خَلَقَکُمْ مِنْ نَفْسٍ وَاحِدَةٍ وَخَلَقَ مِنْهَا زَوْجَهَا وَبَثَّ مِنْهُمَا رِجَالًا کَثِیرًا وَنِسَاءً

O people! Be careful of

your duty to your Lord Who created you from a single being and created its

mate of the same kind and spread from these two many men and women. (4:1)

In the same fashion, family stands for the primary and fundamental brick in the Islamic structure and the Ahl al-Bayt’s vision of a virtuous human community. For that reason, Islam has taken much interest in family, and established an exact, firm, and all-inclusive system to organize all family relations and affairs in their most exact details and various domains.

The Ahl al-Bayt’s concept about family and matrimonial relations has particularities that enable it to face all social problems and coexist with all social developments.

However, here we will deal with the topic of family for the following two reasons:

First: This topic is of social and human importance. It is also so comprehensive and broad that it is worth studying thoroughly and meticulously, just like the economic system, the system of contracts and transactions, the system of acts of worship, and the other systems whose details

require independent discussions.

Second: Because the main topic of this series of books is the building of the virtuous community, our discussion will be dedicated to the system of social relations of this community exclusively. Hence, we will deal with the general aspects of the virtuous community without discussions on the private relations that ensue from contracts and pledges.

We will highlight the foundations and vital rules of this system, its commitment to covenants, obligations, and reciprocal rights. We will also touch upon the principle of private behavior in social relations. This principle involves behavior arising from typical human situations, such as fatherhood, brotherhood, old age; comprehension, self-strife or self-purification; or contracts and obligations, such as matrimony.

Islam has conferred an advanced formula upon family through the many laws in this respect and released it from its naïve and primitive state. Constructing and firmly strengthening the family in virtue and uprightness plays a significant role in strengthening and developing the structure of general social relations.

Morality in Social Relations

It is true that the system of social relations is a set of laws, legislations, obligations, rights, activities, regulations, manners, and rituals; however, at the same time, it expresses a moral prospect of social behavior and a doctrine-based understanding of the cosmos, life, man, the beginning of creation, and the finale.

This is why books on ethics have discussed this aspect of the social relations system. However, this system is more comprehensive and involves commitments and obligations related to other important topics in Islamic legislation.

Method of Research in Social Relations

We will only discuss the general concept of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) with regard to some aspects of the Islamic concept of social relations, its rules and general foundations, and some of its special items, applications, and superstructure.

Through this discussion, we will discover the differences between the common Islamic frames and the distinctive features of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) in the social construction of the virtuous community. Differences are to be expected because the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) wanted the virtuous community to act as an excellent example, pattern, and model for the Muslims. In addition, the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) depended upon the genuine and perfect Islam that they had inherited and recognized from the Glorious Qur'an and from their ancestor, the Holy Prophet—peace be upon him and them.

From time to time, we will refer to such distinctive particularities and features.

The discussion of this topic is divided into two chief parts; the first deals with features and foundations of social relations in the light of Islam, while the second deals with the superstructure and details of the forms and components of these social relations.

The first part is divided into two chapters, the first of which deals with the identification and definition of social relations in content, objectives, and scope. The second deals with the rules and general principles that identify these relations and control their progress and activities.

The second part includes the superstructure of social relations, which incorporates legislations dealing with the details of social relations and identifies various sorts of behavior that accomplish the objectives, embody the rules, and portray its numerous features.

Part One: System Of Social Relations: Features And Foundations

Chapter One: Features Of The Islamic Concept Of Social Relations

Point

Blank

Openness in Social Relations

Point

The Islamic concept of social relations—as taught by the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a)—highlights openness or social accessibility and expansion in building social relations and associations as opposed to seclusion, aloofness, and monasticism. It focuses on the naivety of human nature and directs it towards perfection in this important aspect. Human nature pushes man in the direction of associating with others, establishing strong ties with them, seeking their help in needs, and getting to know them more closely.

This natural inclination can be inferred from the Holy Qur'an in its discussion regarding the creation of spouses:

وَمِنْ آیَاتِهِ أَنْ خَلَقَ لَکُمْ مِنْ أَنْفُسِکُمْ أَزْوَاجًا لِتَسْکُنُوا إِلَیْهَا وَجَعَلَ بَیْنَکُمْ مَوَدَّةً وَرَحْمَةً إِنَّ فِی ذَلِکَ لَآیَاتٍ لِقَوْمٍ یَتَفَکَّرُونَ

One of His signs is that He

created mates for you from yourselves that you may find rest in them, and He

put between you love and compassion. Most surely, there are signs in this for

a people who reflect. (30:21)

More evidently, the Holy Qur'an has stated that the purpose behind driving people into kinships and tribes was to create familiarity among people and to establish social relations:

یَا أَیُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّا خَلَقْنَاکُمْ مِنْ ذَکَرٍ وَأُنْثَی وَجَعَلْنَاکُمْ شُعُوبًا وَقَبَائِلَ لِتَعَارَفُوا إِنَّ أَکْرَمَکُمْ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ أَتْقَاکُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِیمٌ خَبِیرٌ

O humankind! We have

surely created you of a male and a female and made you tribes and families

that you may know each other. Surely, the most honorable among you with Allah

is the one who is most careful of his duty. Surely, Allah is Knowing, Aware.

(49:13)

Furthermore, there are many Qur'anic texts confirming the naïve nature of human beings.

As for the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a), reported instructions of the inclination towards social relations has been confirmed by them through their precepts and directives to their followers. For instance, according to a validly reported tradition, Murazim has reported Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) as saying:

عَلَیْکُمْ بِالصَّلاَةِ فِی

الْمَسَاجِدِ وَحُسْنِ الْجِوَارِ لِلنَّاسِ وَإقَامَةِ الشَّهَادَةِ وَحُضُورِ

الْجَنَائِزِ. إنَّهُ لاَ بُدَّ لَکُمْ مِنَ النَّاسِ. إنَّ أَحَداً لاَ

یَسْتَغْنِی عَنِ النَّاسِ فِی حَیَاتِهِ، وَالنَّاسُ لاَ بُدَّ لِبَعْضِهِمْ

مِنْ بَعْضٍ.

Always offer prayers in

the mosques (of the non-Shi`ah Muslims) and show good neighborliness to

people. Testify for rightful parties and attend their funeral ceremonies.

Verily, you can never manage without other people. No one can manage without

others throughout life, since people are in an indispensable need of each

other.⁽¹⁾

Making brethren-in-faith

The Holy Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a), underscoring this trend in social relations, directed their followers towards making as many friendships and associations as possible.

In this respect, Imam al-Riza (‘a) is reported to have said:

مَنِ اسْتَفَادَ أَخاً فِی اللهِ

اسْتَفَادَ بَیْتاً فِی الْجَنَّةِ.

Whoever makes another

their brother-in-faith has in fact won a house in Paradise.⁽²⁾

Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) is also reported to have said:

أَکْثِرُوا مِنَ الأََصْدِقَاءِ فِی

الدُّنْیَا، فَإِنَّهُمْ یَنْفَعُونَ فِی الدُّنْیَا وَالآخِرَةِ. أَمَّا فِی

الدُّنْیَا، فَحَوَائِجُ یَقُومُونَ بِهَا، وَأَمَّا فِی الآخِرَةِ فَإِنَّ

أَهْلَ جَهَنَّمَ قَالُوا: (مَا لَنَا مِنْ شَافِعِینَ. وَلاَ صَدِیقٍ حَمِیمٍ).

Make friends with as many people

as possible in this world, for they shall benefit in this world and in the

Hereafter. In this world, they may set right your worldly needs. In the

Hereafter, the inhabitants of Hellfire shall say, “So now we have neither

intercessors nor a true friend. (26:100-101)”⁽¹⁾

Confirming this instruction, Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) is also reported to have said:

إِسْتَکْثِرُوا مِنَ الإِخْوَانِ

فَإِنَّ لِکُلِّ مُؤْمِنٍ دَعْوَةً مُسْتَجَابَةً.

Make brothers-in-faith

with as many people as possible, for each faithful believer has answered

prayers.

إِسْتَکْثِرُوا مِنَ الإِخْوَانِ

فَإِنَّ لِکُلِّ مُؤْمِنٍ شَفَاعَةً.

Make brothers-in-faith

with as many people as possible, for each faithful believer will be granted [the]

right to intercede.

أَکْثِرُوا مِنْ مُؤَاخَاةِ

الْمُؤْمِنِینَ فَإِنَّ لَهُمْ عِنْدَ اللهِ یَداً یُکَافِئُهُمْ بِهَا یَوْمَ

الْقِیَامَةِ.

Make brothers-in-faith

with as many faithful people as possible, for they will have some privilege

with Almighty Allah by which He shall reward them on the Day of Resurrection.⁽²⁾

Imam `Ali, the Commander of the Faithful (‘a), is reported to have composed the following poetic lines:

عَلَیْکَ بِإِخْوَانِ الصَّفَاءِ

فَإِنَّهُمْ

Try to win pure-hearted

brothers, for they become

عِمَادٌ إِذَا اسْتَنْجَدْتَهُمْ

وَظَهُورُ

Your trust and support

when you seek their aid

وَلَیْسَ کَثِیراً أَلْفُ خِلٍّ

وَصَاحِبٍ

A thousand associates and

friends are not many,

وَإِنَّ عَدُوّاً وَاحِداً

لَکَثِیرُ

But a single enemy is much

too many!

Warning against aloofness and hostility

With respect to the trend of building good social relations with people, the Holy Imams (‘a) warned their followers against aloofness, incurring the hostility of others, and disputing and arguing, as such things damage social relations.

One of the Infallible Imams (‘a) is reported to have said:

الإنْقِبَاضُ عَنِ النَّاسِ

مُکْسِبَةُ الْعَدَاوَةِ.

Detachment from people

provokes hostility.⁽¹⁾

Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have quoted Imam `Ali (‘a) as saying:

إِیَّاکُمْ وَالْمِرَاءَ

وَالْخُصُومَةَ فَإِنَّهُمَا یُمْرِضَانِ الْقُلُوبَ عَلَی الإِخْوَانِ

وَیَنْبُتُ عَلَیْهِمَا النِّفَاقُ.

Beware of engaging

yourselves in contention and dispute because these two matters poison your

hearts towards your friends and act as a fertile source of hypocrisy.⁽²⁾

The tradition following this one in this reference book reads that the Holy Prophet (S) said: Whoever meets Almighty Allah enjoying the following three traits will enter Paradise from any gate he chooses: (1) good manners, (2) fear of God in public and private, and (3) forsaking contention even when he is right.

Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) is also reported to have quoted the Holy Prophet (S) as saying:

مَا کَانَ جَبْرَئِیلُ یَأْتِینِی

إِلاَّ قَالَ: یَا مُحَمَّدُ، إِتَّقِ شَحْنَاءَ الرِّجَالِ وَعَدَاوَتَهُمْ.

Every time (Archangel) Gabriel visited me, he would say to me, “O Muhammad, beware of the hostility and

animosity of others.”⁽¹⁾

Indulgence

Another indication of the trend of the Holy Imams towards building good relations with others is that they instructed their followers to gratify others by treating them leniently in matters of humor and disposition. According to an authentic tradition, Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have quoted the Holy Prophet (S) as saying:

أَمَرَنِی رَبِّی بِمُدَارَاةِ

النَّاسِ کَمَا أَمَرَنِی بِالْفَرَائِضِ.

My Lord ordered me to accommodate

people with the same fortitude that He ordered me to have in obligatory

(religious) duties.⁽²⁾

Isolation and Monasticism

On the other hand, there are some traditions that can be taken to mean that secluding oneself and steering clear of social activities and associations with people could be the

most preferred course one might adopt.

In his book of Rawzat al-Kafi, Shaykh al-Kulayni has reported through a valid chain of authority on the authority of Haf¥ ibn Ghiyath that Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) delivered the following instruction:

إِنْ قَدَرْتَ أَنْ لاَ تَخْرُجَ

مِنْ بَیْتِکَ فَافْعَلْ، فَإِنَّ عَلَیْکَ فِی خُرُوجِکَ أَنْ لاَ تَغْتَابَ

وَلاَ تَکْذِبَ وَلاَ تَحْسِدَ وَلاَ تُرَائِیَ وَلاَ تَتَصَنَّعَ وَلاَ

تُدَاهِنَ... نِعْمَ صَوْمَعَةُ الْمُسْلِمِ بَیْتُهُ، یَکُفُّ فِیهِ بَصَرَهُ وَلِسَانَهُ

وَنَفْسَهُ وَفَرْجَهُ.

If possible, you should

never leave your house, because if you leave your house, then you must stop

backbiting, telling lies, envying others, showing off, boasting, and sycophancy…

How excellent a hermitage is a Muslim’s house wherein he casts his sight down

and controls his tongue, his self, and his private parts…⁽¹⁾

In the famous book of tafsir (i.e. exegesis of the Holy Qur'an) that is ascribed to Ali ibn Ibrahim, Imam Ali, the Commander of the Faithful (‘a), is reported to have said:

طُوبَی لِمَنْ لاَزَمَ بَیْتَهَ

وَأَکَلَ کَسْرَتَهُ وَبَکَی عَلَی خَطِیئَتِهِ وَکَانَ مِنْ نَفْسِهِ فِی

تَعَبٍ وَالنَّاسُ مِنْهُ فِی رَاحَةٍ.

Blessed is he who confines

himself to his house, eats the least food possible, weeps for his sins, tires

himself, and others are free of his annoyance.⁽²⁾

Following the course of the author of Wasa'il al-Shi`ah who commented on such traditions, we can interpretively say that these instructions are restricted to exceptional

situations when one finds oneself too weak to resist the surrounding pressures and seductions; one can adopt seclusion cautiously when it becomes too difficult to avoid the disadvantages of association with others. As another interpretation, we may also say that these instructions stand to educate and warn people about the necessity to behave correctly when associating with others in society.

Almighty Allah has created man to attain perfection by undertaking responsibility and preferring right over wrong and good over evil within his circumstances in the universe and the progress of society. Thus, fleeing this divine trial and test—by fleeing from social life and obligations—will never achieve such perfection.

Considering these two interpretations of the seemingly contradictory traditions, it is unfeasible to adopt the second group (of traditions mentioned) because the traditions of the first type (i.e. emphasizing good social relations with others and playing active roles in social life) are congruous with the instructions of the Holy Qur'an and the Holy Sunnah. In addition, these traditions are considerably more in number than the traditions of the second type, more reliable in chains of authority, more familiar with the scholars of the virtuous community, and more applicable to the deeds and manners of scholars and righteous people.

Commenting on this point, Allamah al-Tabrisi, in his famous (book of) tafsir entitled Majma al-Bayan says:

“Traditions warn against seclusion, detachment from people and communities, monasticism, and aloofness.”⁽¹⁾

Confirming this fact, the Holy Qur'an says:

رَهْبَانِیَّةً ابْتَدَعُوهَا مَا کَتَبْنَاهَا عَلَیْهِمْ إِلَّا ابْتِغَاءَ رِضْوَانِ اللَّهِ فَمَا رَعَوْهَا حَقَّ رِعَایَتِهَا

The Monasticism, which

they invented for themselves, We did not prescribe for them. We prescribed

only the seeking of the pleasure of Allah, but that they did not foster, as

they should have done. (57:27)

Monasticism—in the sense of fearing Almighty Allah and worshipping Him in private—was prescribed only to save those mentioned in the verse from being killed or from being forced to abandon the religion of Almighty Allah, but they did not promote monasticism as it was meant to be. Instead, they turned it into detachment from society, abstinence from legitimate matrimonial union, forsaking obligations and responsibilities, making it a profession in the end.⁽¹⁾

Reinforcing the Social Structure

Point

The second purpose behind social relations is to reinforce the foundations of Muslim society and strengthen the social structure to maintain continuous progress towards social perfection. Correct social relations also help gain access to platforms of power, justice, welfare, and reconciliation, and help Muslim society face and solve various problems arising from social, political and economic practices. Social relations also aid in spirituality and self-perfection within the movement of humankind towards Almighty Allah.

Reinforcing the social structure depended on a number of essential principles mentioned below.

The Principle of Mutual Support and Aid

Muslims in general and faithful believers in particular are required to support and aid each other. As has been previously cited, Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) is authentically reported to have said:

الْمُسْلِمُ أَخُو الْمُسْلِمِ؛ لاَ

یَظْلِمُهُ وَلاَ یَخْذُلُهُ وَلاَ یَخُونُهُ. وَیَحِقُّ عَلَی الْمُسْلِمِینَ الإجْتِهَادُ

فِی التَّوَاصُلِ وَالتَّعَاقُدِ عَلَی التَّعَاطُفِ وَالْمُوَاسَاةُ لأَِهْلِ الْحَاجَةِ

وَتَعَاطُفِ بَعْضِهِمْ عَلَی بَعْضٍ حَتَّی تَکُونُوا کَمَا أَمَرَکُمُ اللهُ عَزَّ

وَجَلَّ، رُحَمَاءَ بَیْنَکُمْ مُتَرَاحِمِینَ مُغْتَمِّینَ لِمَا غَابَ عَنْکُمْ

مِنْ أَمْرِهِمْ عَلَی مَا مَضَی عَلَیْهِ مَعْشَرُ الأَنْصَارِ عَلَی عَهْدِ رَسُولِ

اللهِ صَلَّی اللهُ عَلَیْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ.

Muslims are brothers of

each other. They neither wrong, nor disappoint, nor betray each other. The

duties that are incumbent on Muslims towards each other are to exert effort

in communication, agree on mutual sympathy, treat the needy as they treat themselves,

and empathize with one another. If you abide by this, you will be exactly as

Almighty Allah has ordered you to be: compassionate towards each other,

merciful towards one another, regretful about missing any opportunity to help

a brethren-in-faith, just like the conduct of the An¥ar during the lifetime

of the Messenger of Allah (S).⁽¹⁾

Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) is also reported to have quoted the Holy Prophet (S) as saying:

مَنْ سَمِعَ رَجُلاً یُنَادِی یَا

لَلْمُسْلِمِینَ، فَلَمْ یُجِبْهُ، فَلَیْسَ بِمُسْلِمٍ.

Whoever hears someone

calling for the help of Muslims but fails to respond to him, is not actually

a Muslim.⁽¹⁾

Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) is also reported to have said:

مَنْ لَمْ یَهْتَمَّ بِأُمُورِ

الْمُسْلِمِینَ فَلَیْسَ بِمُسْلِمٍ.

He who does not care about

the affairs of Muslims is not Muslim.⁽²⁾

Enjoining the Right and Forbidding the Wrong

In its capacity as one of the greatest divinely commissioned obligations and the highest and most honorable duties, the principle of enjoining the right and forbidding the wrong has been defined and introduced by traditions as:

سَبِیلُ الأَنْبِیَاءِ وَمِنْهَاجُ

الصُّلَحَاءِ.

…The course of

prophets and the manner of the righteous.

فَرِیضَةٌ عَظِیمَةٌ بِهَا تُقَامُ

الْفَرَائِضُ وَتَأْمَنُ الْمَذَاهِبُ وَتُحَلُّ الْمَکَاسِبُ وَتُرَدُّ

الْمَظَالِمُ وَتُعَمَّرُ الأَرْضُ وَیُنْتَصَفُ مِنَ الأَعْدَاءِ وَیَسْتَقِیمُ

الأَمْرُ.

It is a great duty through

which other duties are carried out, routes are secured, earnings are made

legal, aggressions are warded off, lands are nurtured, enemies are

retaliated, and all affairs set aright.⁽³⁾

The Principle of Thinking Well Of Others

Another principle of social relations is having good thoughts about others, assuming the best about the conduct of ones brethren-in-faith, closing one’s eyes to their flaws, and concealing the defects of others to bind the social structure and prevent any cracks from appearing in it. On the authority of his infallible fathers, Imam al-Baqir (‘a) has quoted Imam `Ali, the Commander of the Faithful (‘a), as saying:

ضَعْ أَمْرَ أَخِیکَ عَلَی

أَحْسَنِهِ حَتَّی یَأْتِیَکَ مِنْهُ مَا یَغْلِبُکَ، وَلاَ تَظُنَّنَّ

بِکَلِمَةٍ خَرَجَتْ مِنْ أَخِیکَ سُوءاً وَأَنْتَ تَجِدُ لَهَا فِی الْخَیْرِ

مَحْمَلاً.

Assume the best possible about

the deed of your brother-in-faith unless you see in him something that tears

down your assumption. Never deem evil any word uttered by your

brother-in-faith as long as you can find an acceptable excuse for it.⁽¹⁾

Abu-Basir has reported Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) as saying:

لاَ تُفَتِّشِ النَّاسَ فَتَبْقَی بِلاَ

صَدِیقٍ.

Do not scrutinize people

lest you remain friendless.⁽²⁾

Al-Dahhak ibn Mukhallad has reported that he heard Imam

al-Sadiq (‘a) saying:

لَیْسَ مِنَ الإِنْصَافِ

مُطَالَبَةُ الإِخْوَانِ بِالإِنْصَافِ.

It is unfair to demand

friends to be fair (with you).⁽¹⁾

The Principle of Consultation

Social relations in Islam are built up by seeking the counsel of other Muslims and making use of their experience and opinions and by sharing your experiences and affectionately advising them about performing certain acts.

Abu-Hurayrah has reported that he heard the Holy Prophet (S) saying:

إِسْتَرْشِدُوا الْعَاقِلَ وَلاَ

تَعْصُوهُ فَتَنْدَمُوا.

Seek the guidance of the

reasonable and do not disregard their advice, lest you regret.⁽²⁾

Sulayman ibn Khalid has reported that he heard Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) saying:

إِسْتَشِرِ الْعَاقِلَ مِنَ

الرِّجَالِ الْوَرِعَ فَإِنَّهُ لاَ یَأْمُرُ إِلاَّ بِخَیْرٍ، وَإِیَّاکَ

وَالْخِلاَفَ فَإِنَّ مُخَالَفَةَ الْوَرِعِ الْعَاقِلِ مَفْسَدَةٌ فِی الدِّینِ

وَالدُّنْیَا.

Seek the advice of

reasonable and pious men, because they order you only towards good. Beware of

defying them, because to defy reasonable and pious men brings about

corruption in religious and worldly affairs.⁽³⁾

Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) is also reported to have quoted the Holy Prophet (S) as saying:

مُشَاوَرَةُ الْعَاقِلِ النَّاصِحِ

رُشْدٌ وَیُمْنٌ وَتَوْفِیقٌ مِنَ اللهِ، فَإِذَا أَشَارَ عَلَیْکَ النَّاصِحُ

الْعَاقِلُ فَإِیَّاکَ وَالْخِلاَفَ فَإِنَّ فِی ذَلِکَ الْعَطَبَ.

Seeking the counsel of wise

well-wishers is a sign of judiciousness, blessing, and guidance to success by

Almighty Allah, so if a wise well-wisher gives you advice, beware of defiance

lest you come upon destruction.⁽¹⁾

The qualifications of a true advisor specified by the Holy Legislator are rationality, piety, confidentiality and soundness of character.

Al-Halabi has reported Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) as saying:

إِنَّ الْمَشُورَةَ لاَ تَکُونُ

إِلاَّ بِحُدُودِهَا، فَمَنْ عَرَفَهَا بِحُدُودِهَا وَإِلاَّ کَانَتْ

مَضَرَّتُهَا عَلَی الْمُسْتَشِیرِ أَکْثَرَ مِنْ مَنْفَعَتِهَا لَهُ.

فَأَوَّلُهَا أَنْ یَکُونَ الَّذِی تُشَاوِرُهُ عَاقِلاً، وَالثَّانِیَةُ أَنْ

یَکُونَ حُرّاً مُتَدَیِّناً، وَالثَّالِثَةُ أَنْ یَکُونَ صَدِیقاً مُؤَاخِیاً،

وَالرَّابِعَةُ أَنْ تُطْلِعَهُ عَلَی سِرِّکَ فَیَکُونُ عِلْمُهُ بِهِ

کَعِلْمِکَ بِنَفْسِکَ، ثُمَّ یُسِرُّ ذَلِکَ وَیَکْتُمُهُ. فَإِنَّهُ إِذَا

کَانَ عَاقِلاً إنْتَفَعْتَ بِمَشُورَتِهِ، وَإِذَا کَانَ حُرّاً مُتَدَیِّناً

جَهَدَ نَفْسَهُ فِی النَّصِیحَةِ لَکَ، وَإِذَا کَانَ صَدِیقاً مُؤَاخِیاً

کَتَمَ سِرَّکَ إِذَا أَطْلَعْتَهُ عَلَیْهِ، وَإِذَا أَطْلَعْتَهُ عَلَی

سِرِّکَ فَکَانَ عِلْمُهُ بِهِ کَعِلْمِکَ بِهِ تَمَّتِ الْمَشُورَةُ وَکَمُلَتِ

النَّصِیحَةُ.

Surly, seeking of advice

must be within limits; therefore, if one ignores (or violates) these limits,

the harm will be more than the benefit. The first of these limits is that the

consultant must be wise. The second is that he must be honorable and devout.

The third is that he must be a brotherly friend. The fourth is that when you

tell him about your secret, he must understand it exactly as you have

explained and then he must keep it in confidence. If the advisor is wise, you

will then benefit from his advice. If he is honorable and devout, he will

make all possible efforts to give you the best advice. If he is your brotherly

friend, then he will conceal your secret after you reveal it to him. If he

understands your secret as you do, then he will give perfect counsel and

advice.⁽²⁾

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Substance of Social Relations

Equality and Fraternity

The third aspect of social relations is that they must have sound foundations based on reality and values on the one hand and be a constituent of the social structure on the other.

Islam views as the best social relations based on equality. People are originally equal and each one is the counterpart of the other; therefore, no one can excel another in origin. Hence, the Holy Qur'an declares:

یَا أَیُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّا خَلَقْنَاکُمْ مِنْ ذَکَرٍ وَأُنْثَی وَجَعَلْنَاکُمْ شُعُوبًا وَقَبَائِلَ لِتَعَارَفُوا

O Mankind! Surely, We have

created you of a male and a female, and made you tribes and families that you

may know each other. (49:13)

The Holy Prophet (S) has also declared:

کُلُّکُمْ لآِدَمَ وَآدَمُ مِنْ

تُرَابٍ.

All of you belong to Adam

(equally), and Adam was created of dust.⁽¹⁾

However, differences and privileges arise due to extraordinary factors that ensue from the movement of man, both individually and socially. Some privileges are real—such as piety, knowledge, education, and practice of virtues like patience and charity—while others are false and unreal (having riches, many children, material wealth and influence). A third category of privileges arises from talents divinely bestowed on certain individuals or the divine selection of certain individuals.

The nature of social relationship must be Islam-based and faith-based, which automatically becomes a relationship of equality among the individuals of a society ruled by the doctrines of Islam.

As a result, Muslims are brothers of one another. They are equal and comparable in spiritual values. Their ties and relations are similar to those who have the same father and mother. Islam has placed social ties and relations among people of the same faith on the same level and of similar worth and significance as blood ties and relations.

According to many validly reported traditions, this concept is corroborated by marriages performed at the time of the Holy Prophet (S). For instance, Shaykh al-Kulayni, in his book, al-Kafi, has validly reported the story of the marriage of Juwaybir to the daughter of one of the chiefs of the Arab clans. Juwaybir—an ugly, short, dark skinned, needy man from al-Yamamah—who embraced Islam devoutly, was ordered by the Holy Prophet (S) to betroth the daughter of Ziyad, a chief of the clans of al-Madinah. He said:

یَا جُوَیْبِرُ، إِنَّ اللهَ قَدْ

وَضَعَ بِالإِسْلاَمِ مَنْ کَانَ فِی الْجَاهِلِیَّةِ شَرِیفاً، وَشَرَّفَ

بِالإِسْلاَمِ مَنْ کَانَ فِی الْجَاهِلِیَّةِ وَضِیعاً، وَأَعَزَّ

بِالإِسْلاَمِ مَنْ کَانَ فِی الْجَاهِلِیَّةِ ذَلِیلاً، وَأَذْهَبَ

بِالإِسْلاَمِ مَا کَانَ مِنْ نَخْوَةِ الْجَاهِلِیَّةِ وَتَفَاخُرِهَا

بِعَشَائِرِهَا وَبَاسِقِ أَنْسَابِهَا. فَالنَّاسُ الْیَوْمَ کُلُّهُمْ

أَبْیَضُهُمْ وَأَسْوَدُهُمْ وَقِرَشِیُّهُمْ وَعَرَبِیُّهُمْ وَعَجَمِیُّهُمْ

مِنْ آدَمَ، وَإِنَّ آدَمَ خَلَقَهُ اللهُ مِنْ طِینٍ. وَإِنَّ أَحَبَّ النَّاسِ

إِلَی اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ یَوْمَ الْقِیَامَةِ أَطْوَعُهُمْ لَهُ

وَأَتْقَاهُمْ.

O Juwaybir, Almighty

Allah, by means of Islam, has verily humbled men who were esteemed in the Era

of Ignorance (jahiliyyah) and, also by means of Islam, has honored

others who were lowly in that era. In addition, by means of Islam, Almighty

Allah has imparted nobility to men who were humble in that era and, by means

of Islam, He has eradicated the baseless zeal of that era when people used to

take pride in their clans and their lineages. Today, all people; the white

and the black, the Qurayshite, the Arab, and the non-Arab, belong to Adam,

and Adam was created by Almighty Allah from clay. Verily, the dearest of

people to Almighty Allah on the Day of Resurrection shall be the most

obedient to Him and the most pious.

To Ziyad, the father of the betrothed woman, the Holy Prophet (S) said:

یَا

زِیَادُ، جُوَیْبِرُ مُؤْمِنٌ، وَالْمُؤْمِنُ کُفْؤُ الْمُؤْمِنَةِ وَالْمُسْلِمُ

کُفْؤُ الْمُسْلِمَةِ. فَزَوِّجْهُ یَا زِیَادُ.

O Ziyad, Juwaybir is a faithful believer, and every

faithful male is the match of every faithful female and every Muslim male is

the match of every Muslim female. So, give him your daughter in marriage.⁽¹⁾

Respect of Man in General

Although Islam considers faith to be the basis of social relations among Muslims, it does not dispense with the human side of these relations; rather, it considers the human side in the totality of its theory. The meaning becomes clear in Imam `Ali’s following words to Malik al-Ashtar:

وَأَشْعِرْ قَلْبَکَ

الرَّحْمَةَ لِلرَّعِیَّةِ وَالْمَحَبَّةَ لَهُمْ وَاللُّطْفَ بِهِمْ، وَلاَ

تَکُونَنَّ عَلَیْهِمْ سَیْفاً ضَارِیاً تَغْتَنِمُ أُکُلَهُمْ، فَإِنَّهُمْ

صِنْفَانِ: إِمَّا أَخٌ لَکَ فِی الدِّینِ أَوْ نَظِیرٌ لَکَ فِی الْخَلْقِ.

Develop

in your heart the feeling of love for your people and let it be the source of

kindliness and blessing to them. Do not behave with them like a barbarian,

and do not appropriate to yourself that which belongs to them. Remember that

the citizens of the state are of two categories. They are either your

brethren in faith or your brethren in kind.⁽¹⁾

This trend can also be distinctly seen in the traditions that encourage courtesy in general with all people. Such traditions require preserving good social relations with people at the human level unless exceptional circumstances oblige one to disavow or rupture relations with certain people.

Suma`ah has reported Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) as saying:

مُجَامَلَةُ النَّاسِ ثُلُثُ

الْعَقْلِ.

To behave courteously with

people is one-third of wisdom.⁽²⁾

Abu-Basir has reported Imam al-Baqir (or Imam al-Sadiq) to have narrated that a Bedouin from the Banu-Tamim tribe came to the Holy Prophet (S) and asked for an advice.

Giving his advice, the Holy Prophet (S) said:

تَحَبَّبْ إِلَی النَّاسِ یُحِبُّوکَ.

Try to endear yourself to

people and they will certainly love you.⁽³⁾

Another indication of this trend is the attitude of Islam towards unbelievers, as confirmed by the Holy Qur'an. It

makes a distinction between the unbelievers and foes who adopted an aggressive political or military attitude against Muslims and unbelievers who did not adopt aggressive attitudes. As is mentioned in Surah al-Mumtahanah (Surah 60), the Holy Qur'an has warned against showing loyalty to and love for the former but it has permitted treating the latter with charity and fairness. Hence, it reads:

لَا یَنْهَاکُمُ اللَّهُ عَنِ الَّذِینَ لَمْ یُقَاتِلُوکُمْ فِی الدِّینِ وَلَمْ یُخْرِجُوکُمْ مِنْ دِیَارِکُمْ أَنْ تَبَرُّوهُمْ وَتُقْسِطُوا إِلَیْهِمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ یُحِبُّ الْمُقْسِطِینَ إِنَّمَا یَنْهَاکُمُ اللَّهُ عَنِ الَّذِینَ قَاتَلُوکُمْ فِی الدِّینِ وَأَخْرَجُوکُمْ مِنْ دِیَارِکُمْ وَظَاهَرُوا عَلَی إِخْرَاجِکُمْ أَنْ تَوَلَّوْهُمْ وَمَنْ یَتَوَلَّهُمْ فَأُولَئِکَ هُمُ الظَّالِمُونَ

Allah does not forbid you to show kindness and deal justly respecting

those who have not made war against you on account of your religion and have

not driven you forth from your homes. Surely, Allah loves the doers of

justice. Allah only forbids you to make friends with those who made war upon

you because of your religion, drove you forth from your homes and backed up

others in your expulsion. Whoever makes friends with them, these are the

unjust. (60:8-9)

A third indication of this trend can be deduced from traditions confirmed by the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) on the significance of calling to the “way” of Almighty Allah by means of conversations characterized by rationality. They insisted on maintaining general social relations with the non-believers and non-Muslims as well as all categories of people without discriminating between Muslims and non-Muslims through wise and excellent communication skills.

A fourth indication can also be observed in the texts of the Holy Qur'an and the Holy Sunnah that warn against reviling unbelievers and aggravating them with unconstructive attitudes because they would naturally respond to such revilement with similar insults.

Islam has presented fraternity among Muslims as the content of social relations within the Muslim community. Islam has lined itself up with fraternity, which is a mixture of mutual loyalty, backing one another up, and social rights characterized by shared love, affection, humanitarian feelings and sentiments.

Levels of Social Relations

Point

The fourth aspect of social relations is that Islam has not overlooked the tangible realities that exist—despite the fact that it has adopted the principle of equality for all human beings and the principle of fraternity for the Muslim community—in the various extremes of social relations.

Islam has defined two main levels arising from social realities and has based relations on the mental, spiritual, and intellectual conditions of the parties involved.

The first of these levels is the general relationship that is imposed by the nature of man’s existence in society wherein man connects with the individuals of his society and becomes part of it within the general frame of social relations.

Islam views the unity of the Muslim community as the common factor among all the extremes of this relationship.

Through this level of relationship, blood and property are saved from being shed or confiscated and covenants and pledges are fulfilled. In addition, public participation and contribution to social responsibilities is maintained, such as enjoining the right and forbidding the wrong, attending the common prayers and funeral ceremonies, visiting the sick, and trying not to miss social ceremonies like marriages and the like.

In an authentic narration, Shaykh al-Kulayni has reported Mu`awiyah ibn Wahab to have said that he once asked Imam al-Sadiq (‘a), “What should we do with respect to relations with our people and with others whom we come in contact with?”

The Imam (‘a) answered:

تُؤَدُّونَ الأَمَانَةَ إِلَیْهِمْ،

وَتُقِیمُونَ الشَّهَادَةَ لَهُمْ وَعَلَیْهِمْ، وَتَعُودُونَ مَرْضَاهُمْ،

وَتَشْهَدُونَ جَنَائِزَهُمْ.

You must safeguard the

trusts that they deposit with you, bear witness for or against them, visit

the sick among them, and attend their funeral ceremonies.⁽¹⁾

The Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) rarely put conditions regarding maintaining this level of social relations, except for some general constraints, such as avoiding relationships that bring ill repute and associations with heretical people and those publicly known for corruption and deviation, as well as those who work in forbidden occupations. Details of these categories will be cited in the second part of this book.

Al-Faji al-Aqili has reported that Imam `Ali the Commander of the Faithful (‘a) instructed his son, al-Hasan (‘a) saying:

إِیَّاکَ وَمَوَاطِنَ التَّهِمَةِ

وَالْمَجْلِسَ الْمَظْنُونَ بِهِ السُّوءَ، فَإِنَّ قَرِینَ السُّوءِ یَغُرُّ

جَلِیسَهُ.

Beware of presenting

yourself in situations that bring about ill reputation and sessions known for

evil, for a wicked friend may seduce him who sits with him.⁽²⁾

`Umar ibn Yazid has reported Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) as saying:

لاَ تَصْحَبُوا أَهْلَ

الْبِدَعِ وَلاَ تُجَالِسُوهُمْ فَتَکُونُوا عِنْدَ النَّاسِ کَوَاحِدٍ

مِنْهُمْ. وَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّی اللهُ عَلَیْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ:

الْمَرْءُ عَلَی دِینِ خَلِیلِهِ وَقَرِینِهِ.

Do not keep company

with heretical people and do not participate in their sessions, lest you be equated

with them in the eyes of people. The Messenger of Allah (S) has said, “Man

follows the religion of his friend and companion.”⁽³⁾

Hammad ibn Amr and Anas ibn Muhammad have reported on the authority of Anas’s father that Jafar ibn Muhammad (al-Sadiq) (‘a), on the authority of his fathers, quoted that the Holy Prophet (S) instructed Imam `Ali (‘a) saying:

یَا عَلِیُّ، مَنْ لَمْ تَنْتَفِعْ

بِدِینِهِ وَلاَ دُنْیَاهُ فَلاَ خَیْرَ لَکَ فِی مُجَالَسَتِهِ.

O `Ali, it is worthless to

keep the company of one whom you will not benefit either from his faith or

his worldly affairs.⁽¹⁾

A warning against associating with such categories of people means to avoid befriending or sitting with them. However, if we consider this warning general (i.e. to include all states of association), we can understand the reason behind it is that such social relationships might develop into friendships, even if at the minimal level, and it is better to avoid falling into any situation of suspicion that might tarnish one’s reputation.

The second level is that of private relationship, conventionally called friendship (i.e. making friends with some people).

This level shares the general results, consequences, and commitments of the first level of relations but differs from it in certain additional conditions, rights, and duties, such as some financial and cultural rights. Discussing, teaching, and learning about religious affairs as well as some political affairs, like discussing general situations of the community, especially when the issues are very controversial, are permitted only among real friends.

Khaythamah has reported that Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) told him:

أَبْلِغْ مَوَالِیَنَا

السَّلاَمَ، وَأَوْصِهِمْ بِتَقْوَی اللهِ وَالْعَمَلِ الصَّالِحِ، وَأَنْ

یَعُودَ صَحِیحُهُمْ مَرِیضَهُمْ، وَلْیَعُدْ غَنِیُّهُمْ عَلَی فَقِیرِهِمْ،

وَأَنْ یَشْهَدَ حَیُّهُمْ جَنَازَةَ مَیِّتِهِمْ، وَأَنْ یَتَلاَقَوْا فِی

بُیُوتِهِمْ، وَأَنْ یَتَفَاوَضُوا عِلْمَ الدِّینِ، فَإِنَّ ذَلِکَ حَیَاةً

لأَِمْرِنَا، رَحِمَ اللهُ عَبْداً أَحْیَا أَمْرَنَا.

Convey

my compliments to my loyalists and advise them to show reverence to Almighty

Allah: the rich among them must help the poor, the powerful must help the

weak, the living must attend the funeral ceremonies of the dead, and they

must assemble at their homes and discuss issues of religion, for such

meetings keep our work alive. May Allah have mercy upon a servant who keeps

our work alive.⁽¹⁾

Shaykh al-Kulayni, through a valid chain of authority, has reported Maysir as saying:

Imam Abu-Jafar (al-Baqir) (‘a) once asked me, “Do you (Shiite groups) often seclude yourselves in special meetings and exchange discourses and freely say what you have in mind?”

I answered, “Yes, I swear it by Allah. We often withdraw to exchange discourses and say freely that which is on our minds.”

The Imam (‘a) commented:

أَمَا وَاللهِ لَوَدِدْتُ أَنِّی مَعَکُمْ فِی بَعْضِ

تِلْکَ الْمَوَاطِنِ. أَمَا وَاللهِ إِنِّی لأُحِبُّ رِیحَکُمْ وَأَرْوَاحَکُمْ،

وَإِنَّکُمْ عَلَی دِینِ اللهِ وَدِینِ مَلاَئِکَتِهِ، فَأَعِینُوا بِوَرَعٍ

وَاجْتِهَادٍ.

By Allah I swear, I do

wish I were with you on some of these occasions. By Allah I swear, I do love

your fragrance and your souls. You are verily following the very religion of

Allah and the religion of His angels. Follow (us) by means of piety and

diligence.⁽²⁾

Fraternity for Allah’s Sake

The Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) endeavored to develop such spiritual and intellectual relations that people would soar to their highest levels and exceed blood fraternity in human, social, and spiritual aspects. On achieving this, love and affection would be purely for Almighty Allah’s sake and the outcome would be that one would love for his brother-in-faith whatever he loves for himself (i.e. equality in desires and hopes) and even consider one’s brother-in-faith before himself.

A tradition reported from the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) describes this perfective sphere of relations among the individuals of the virtuous community.

In his book, al-Majalis, al-Hasan ibn Muhammad al-Tusi has reported that, on the authority of his fathers, Imam al-Baqir (‘a) quoted the Holy Prophet (S) as saying:

إِذَا کَانَ یَوْمُ الْقِیَامَةِ

یُنَادِی مُنَادٍ مِنَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ یُسْمِعُ آخِرَهُمْ کَمَا یُسْمِعُ

أَوَّلَهُمْ فَیَقُولُ: أَیْنَ جِیرَانُ اللهِ جَلَّ جَلاَلُهُ فِی دَارِهِ؟

فَیَقُومُ عُنُقٌ مِنَ النَّاسِ فَتَسْتَقْبِلُهُمْ زُمْرَةٌ مِنَ الْمَلاَئِکَةِ،

فَیَقُولُونَ: مَا کَانَ عَمَلُکُمْ فِی دَارِ الدُّنْیَا فَصِرْتُمُ الْیَوْمَ

جِیرَانَ اللهِ تَعَالَی فِی دَارِهِ؟ فَیَقُولُونَ: کُنَّا نَتَحَابُّ فِی

اللهِ وَنَتَوَازَرُ فِی اللهِ تَعَالَی. قَالَ: فَیُنَادِی مُنَادٍ مِنْ عِنْدِ

اللهِ تَعَالَی: صَدَقَ عِبَادِی. خَلُّوا سَبِیلَهُمْ. فَیَنْطَلِقُونَ إِلَی

جِوَارِ اللهِ فِی الْجَنَّةِ بِغَیْرِ حِسَابٍ.

On the Day of Resurrection,

a spokesangel will cry out with a call heard by the last of the crowds in the

same volume heard by the first. He will call out, “Where are the neighbors of

Allah, the Majestic, in His abode?” Then, a group of people will stand up and

will be received by a group of angels. “What were your deeds in the worldly

abode due to which you are now the neighbors of Allah, the Exalted, in His

abode?” The angels will ask. “We used to love each other for Allah’s sake and

help one another for His sake, too,” they will answer. An angel will say on

behalf of Allah, “True are the words of My servants. Clear the way for them.”

Then they will walk into the neighborhood of Allah in Paradise without (their

deeds) being accounted.

Commenting on this, Imam al-Baqir (‘a) said:

فَهَؤُلاَءِ جِیرَانُ اللهِ فِی

دَارِهِ، یَخَافُ النَّاسُ وَلاَ یَخَافُونَ، وَیُحَاسَبُ النَّاسُ وَلاَ

یُحَاسَبُونَ.

These are verily the

neighbors of Allah in His abode. When people will fear, these will not fear,

and when people are stopped for settling their accounts, these will not be faced

with it.⁽¹⁾

In his book of al-Kafi, Shaykh al-Kulayni, reported Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) to have quoted the Holy Prophet (S) as saying:

سِتُّ خِصَالٍ مَنْ کُنَّ فِیهِ

کَانَ بَیْنَ یَدَیِ اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَعَنْ یَمِینِ اللهِ… یُحِبُّ

الْمَرْءُ الْمُسْلِمُ لأَِخِیهِ مَا یُحِبُّ لأَِعَزِّ أَهْلِهِ، وَیَکْرَهُ

الْمَرْءُ الْمُسْلِمُ لأَِخِیهِ مَا یَکْرَهُ لأَِعَزِّ أَهْلِهِ،

وَیُنَاصِحُهُ الْوِلاَیَةَ… إِذَا کَانَ مِنْهُ بِتِلْکَ الْمَنْزِلَةِ بَثَّهُ

هَمَّهُ فَفَرِحَ لِفَرَحِهِ إِنْ هُوَ فَرِحَ، وَحَزِنَ لِحُزْنِهِ إِنْ هُوَ

حَزِنَ، وَإِنْ کَانَ عِنْدَهُ مَا یُفَرِّجُ عَنْهُ فَرَّجَ عَنْهُ، وِإِلاَّ

دَعَا لَهُ… قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّی اللهُ عَلَیْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ:

إِنَّ للهِ خَلْقاً عَنْ یَمِینِ الْعَرْشِ بَیْنَ یَدَیِ اللهِ وُجُوهُهُمْ

أَبْیَضُ مِنَ الثَّلْجِ وَأَضْوَأُ مِنَ الشَّمْسِ الضَّاحِیَةِ. یَسْأَلُ

السَّائِلُ: مَا هَؤُلاَءِ؟ فَیُقَالُ: هَؤُلاَءِ الَّذِینَ تَحَابُّوا فِی جَلاَلِ

اللهِ.

Whoever has six features

in his personality shall be in the presence of Almighty Allah and to His

right…A Muslim, who loves for his brother-in-faith whatever he loves for the

dearest of his family members, dislikes for him whatever he dislikes for the

dearest of his family members, acts honestly with him in terms of friendship…

If he attains this rank with his brother-in-faith, when he passes his grievances

on to him, his brother-in-faith will then certainly rejoice at his delight

and feel sad on his grief. If he can do anything to relieve his

brother-in-faith, he will certainly do so or, at least, pray for him…The

Messenger of Allah (S) said: “Almighty Allah has some creatures who will be

positioned to the right of the Divine Throne in the presence of Almighty

Allah. Their faces will be as white as snow and as brilliant as sunlight at

forenoon. When it is asked about them, the answer will be that these are

those who loved each other for the sake of Almighty Allah’s majesty.”⁽²⁾

The Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) took into consideration the different levels of this private relationship. It is therefore possible to classify such private relations into general and special friendships. This classification is based on the degree of commitment to the doctrines and principles of Islam, and the profundity and firmness of religious values and ideals in behavior and practice. On the strength of this classification, faith and loyalty to the (divinely commissioned) leadership of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) plays an important role in firming up such relations from which result the kind of rights and duties demonstrated by the previously cited traditions.

False Friends and True Friends

Referring to another aspect in the variety of the levels of social relations, the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) differentiated between two categories of people: false friends and true friends. In one’s association with the earlier category, it may suffice to

say one has to meet people in society and associate with them because one’s existence is dependent on their existence. Such a relationship is based on kind association, mutual feelings, and sympathetic treatment, named by the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) as ‘courtesy’ with the meaning good behavior with people.

The second category, true friends, represents individuals who must be chosen carefully as friends after observing their honesty, faithfulness, and good manners. Only then is it correct to lean on such friends, put one’s trust in them, and depend on them in one’s private affairs because they are known to stand by their friends in good and bad times and to be holders of their secrets and trusts.

Yunus ibn `Abd al-Rahman has reported the following on the authority of Imam Muhammad al-Jawad (‘a):

In al-Ba¥rah, a man stood up and asked Imam `Ali, the Commander of the Faithful (‘a) to define friends.

The Imam (‘a) said:

الإِخْوَانُ صِنْفَانِ: إِخْوَانُ

الثِّقَةِ وَإِخْوَانُ الْمُکَاشَرَةِ. فَأَمَّا إِخْوَانُ الثِّقَةِ فَهُمْ

کَالْکَفِّ وَالْجَنَاحِ وَالأَهْلِ وَالْمَالِ. فَإِذَا کُنْتَ مِنْ أَخِیکَ

عَلَی ثِقَةٍ فَابْذِلْ لَهُ مَالَکَ وَیَدَکَ، وَصَافِ مَنْ صَافَاهُ، وَعَادِ

مَنْ عَادَاهُ، وَاکْتِمْ سِرَّهُ، وَأَعِنْهُ وَأَظْهِرْ مِنْهُ الْحَسَنَ.

وَاعْلَمْ أَیُّهَا السَّائِلُ أَنَّهُمْ أَعَزُّ مِنَ الْکِبْرِیتِ الأَحْمَرِ.

وَأَمَّا إِخْوَانُ الْمُکَاشَرَةِ فَإِنَّکَ تُصِیبُ مِنْهُمْ لَذَّتَکَ. فَلاَ

تَقْطَعَنْ ذَلِکَ مِنْهُمْ، وَلاَ تَطْلُبَنْ مَا وَرَاءَ ذَلِکَ مِنْ

ضَمِیرِهِمْ، وَابْذِلْ لَهُمْ مَا بَذَلُوا لَکَ مِنْ طَلاَقَةِ الْوَجْهِ

وَحَلاَوَةِ اللِّسَانِ.

There are two kinds of

friends—friends of confidence and friends of grimace. The friends of

confidence are the refuge, the wings, the family and the wealth (of their

friends). If you confide in a friend, you should give your wealth and help to

him. You should also befriend his friend and antagonize his enemy. You should

keep his secrets and defects (in confidence) and proclaim his good conduct.

You should know, O asker, that the friends of confidence are as scanty as red

sulfur. Regarding the friends of grimace, you gain from them only your

pleasure; therefore, you should not deprive them of your pleasure. Do not ask

them for any further thing. Give them a happy mien and pleasant conversation

as long as they give you their happy mien and pleasant conversation.⁽¹⁾

Faith—in the sense of believing in the divinely commissioned leadership of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) and loyalty to them—is one of the basic conditions in the process of choosing friends of confidence. The duties of people towards their friends, confirmed by the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a), are exclusively for this category of friends.

Referring to this classification and variety in the level of social relations as well as the general and special conditions of these relations, there is a set of traditions reported from the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) displaying other conditions and qualifications to be observed in identifying the level of one’s social relations with others. Some traditions have mentioned the positive characteristics that encourage such relations, such as piety, devoutness, rationality, prudence, nobility, and excellent morals, while other traditions have listed negative traits that discourage building relations, such as idiocy, corruption, fabrication, and stinginess.⁽¹⁾

More details will be cited in the second part of this book.

Special Treatment

Point

The fifth aspect of social relations is that there are certain categories of people who must be treated in a special manner.

Although Islam, in its social concept, believes that all human beings are equal and brothers of one another, we notice that the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) dedicated special treatment in the field of social relations to certain groups of people because of various tangible reasons endorsed by human nature or factual reason-based criteria founded on public interest.

These reasons are humane, religious, and political, depending on the various aspects of the Islamic concept of social relations in general or social relations in particular, placing all affairs in their natural position in the general structure of society and the categories of social relations.

On many occasions, the Holy Qur'an has referred to such special treatment, including the following:

وَاعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ وَلَا تُشْرِکُوا بِهِ شَیْئًا وَبِالْوَالِدَیْنِ إِحْسَانًا وَبِذِی الْقُرْبَی وَالْیَتَامَی وَالْمَسَاکِینِ وَالْجَارِ ذِی الْقُرْبَی وَالْجَارِ الْجُنُبِ وَالصَّاحِبِ بِالْجَنْبِ وَابْنِ السَّبِیلِ وَمَا مَلَکَتْ أَیْمَانُکُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا یُحِبُّ مَنْ کَانَ مُخْتَالًا فَخُورًا

Serve Allah and do not

associate anything with Him and be good to parents and to the near of kin and

the orphans and the needy and the neighbor from among (your) kin and the neighbor

who is a stranger and the companion on a journey and the wayfarer and those

whom your right hands possess. Surely, Allah does not love him who is proud,

boastful. (4:36)

Relatives

Relatives, especially next of kin and, more especially, parents, enjoy special privileges as regards social treatment. It is thus obligatory to sustain the root of social relations with relatives and it is impermissible to cut off family ties. It is also obligatory to honor and act piously towards one’s parents by means of acting obediently towards them and complying with their orders, yet within the limits of the religious laws.

Abu-Hamzah al-Thumali has reported that Imam `Ali the Commander of the Faithful (‘a) delivered a speech in which he said:

أَعُوذُ بِاللهِ مِنَ الذُّنُوبِ

الَّتِی تُعَجِّلُ الْفَنَاءَ.

I seek Allah’s protection

against the sins that hasten death.

`Abdullah ibn al-Kawwa' interrupted him, saying, “O Commander of the Faithful! Are there sins that hasten one’s death?” The Imam (‘a) answered:

نَعَمْ! وَیْلَکَ، قَطِیعَةُ

الرَّحِمِ. إِنَّ أَهْلَ الْبَیْتِ لَیَجْتَمِعُونَ وَیَتَواسَوْنَ وَهُمْ

فَجَرَةٌ فَیَرْزُقُهُمُ اللهُ. وَإِنَّ أَهْلَ الْبَیْتِ لَیَتَفَرَّقُونَ

وَیَقْطَعُ بَعْضُهُمْ بَعْضاً فَیَحْرِمُهُمُ اللهُ وَهُمْ أَتْقِیَاءُ.

Yes, there are! Woe unto

you! They are breach of family ties with one’s relatives. Even if faithless,

family members who gather and help each other are provided sustenance by

Almighty Allah. Some family members, who are pious, separate from one another

and cut off their ties; as a result, Almighty Allah deprives them (of His

sustenance despite their piety).⁽¹⁾

Anbasah al-Abid (the worshipper) has reported that a man

came to Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) and complained about his relatives. The Imam (‘a) advised him saying:

إِکْظُمْ غَیْظَکَ وَافْعَلْ.

Suppress your rage and

treat them nicely.

The man said, “They do such-and-such to me!”

The Imam (‘a) said:

أَتُرِیدُ أَنْ تَکُونَ مِثْلَهُمْ

فَلاَ یَنْظُرُ اللهُ إِلَیْکُمْ؟

Do you want to be like

them? Then, Almighty Allah shall never look at you.⁽¹⁾

In his famous Epistle on Rights, Imam Zayn al-`Abidin (‘a) says:

وَأَمَّا حَقُّ أُمِّکَ فَأَنْ

تَعْلَمَ أَنَّهَا حَمَلَتکَ حَیْثُ لا یَحْمِلُ أَحَدٌ أَحَدًا وَأَطْعَمَتکَ

مِنْ ثَمَرَةِ قَلْبها مَا لا یُطْعِمُ أَحَدٌ أَحَدًا، وَأَنَّهَا وَقَتکَ

بسَمْعِهَا وبَصَرِهَا ویَدِهَا وَرِجْلها وَشَعْرِهَا وبَشَرِهَا وَجَمِیعِ

جَوَارِحِهَا مُسْتَبشِرَةً بذَلِکَ، فَرِحَةً مُوَابلَةً، مُحْتَمِلَةً لِمَا

فِیهِ مَکْرُوهُها وأَلَمُها وثِقْلُها وَغَمُّهَا حَتَّی دَفَعَتهَا عَنْکَ

یَدُ القُدْرَةِ وَأَخرَجَتکَ إلَی الأَرضِ فَرَضِیَتْ أَنْ تَشْبَعَ وتجوعُ

هِیَ، وَتَکْسُوکَ وَتعْرَی، وَتُرْوِیکَ وَتَظْمَأُ، وَتُظِلُّکَ وتَضْحَی،

وَتُنَعِّمَکَ ببُؤْسِهَا، وَتُلَذِّذُکَ بالنَّوْمِ بأَرَقِهَا، وَکَانَ

بَطْنُهَا لَکَ وِعَاءً، وَحِجْرُهَا لَکَ

حِوَاءً، وثَدْیُهَا لَکَ سِقَاءً، ونَفْسُهَا لَکَ وِقَاءً، تُبَاشِرُ

حَرَّ الدُّنیَا وبَرْدِهَا لَکَ وَدُونَکَ، فَتَشْکُرَهَا عَلَی قَدْرِ ذَلِکَ

وَلا تَقْدِرُ عَلَیْهِ إلاّ بعَونِ اللَّهِ وَتَوفِیقِهِ.

وَأمَّا

حَقُّ أَبیکَ فَتَعْلَمَ أنَّهُ أَصْلُکَ، وَأنَّکَ فَرْعُهُ، وَأَنَّکَ لَوْلاهُ لَمْ

تَکُنْ. فَمَهْمَا رَأیْتَ فِی نفْسِکَ مِمَّا یُعْجِبُکَ فَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ

أَبَاکَ أَصْلُ النِّعْمَةِ عَلَیْکَ فِیهِ وَاحْمَدِ اللَّهَ وَاشْکُرْهُ عَلَی

قَدْرِ ذَلِکَ وَلا قُوَّةَ إلاّ باللهِ.

وَأمَّا حَقُّ وَلَدِکَ فَتَعْلَمَ

أنَّهُ مِنْکَ وَمُضَافٌ إلَیکَ فِی عَاجِلِ الدُنْیَا بخَیْرِهِ وَشَرِّهِ،

وَأَنَّکَ مَسْئولٌ عَمَّا ولِّیتَهُ مِنْ حُسْنِ الأَدَب وَالدّلالَةِ عَلَی

رَبهِ وَالْمَعُونةِ لَهُ عَلَی طَاعَتِهِ فِیکَ وَفِی نفْسِهِ، فَمُثابٌ عَلَی

ذلِکَ وَمُعَاقَبٌ، فَاعْمَلْ فِی أَمْرِهِ عَمَلَ الْمُتَزَیِّنِ بحُسْنِ

أَثرِهِ عَلَیْهِ فِی عَاجِلِ الدُّنْیَا، الْمُعْذِرِ إلَی رَبهِ فِیمَا

بَیْنَکَ وبَیْنَهُ بحُسْنِ الْقِیَامِ عَلَیْهِ وَالأَخذُ لَهُ مِنْهُ. وَلا

قُوَّةَ إلا باللهِ.

وَأَمّا حَقُّ أَخِیکَ فَتَعْلَمَ

أَنّهُ یَدُکَ الَّتِی تَبسُطُهَا، وَظَهْرُکَ الَّذِی تَلْتَجِئُ إلَیهِ،

وَعِزُّکَ الَّذِی تَعْتَمِدُ عَلَیهِ، وَقُوَّتُکَ الَّتِی تَصُولُ بهَا، فَلا

تَتَّخِذْهُ سِلاحًا علَی مَعصیةِ اللَّهِ ولا عُدَّةً لِلظُّلْمِ بحَقِّ

اللَّهِ، ولا تَدَعْ نُصْرتَهُ عَلَی نفْسِهِ وَمَعُونتِهِ عَلَی عَدُوِّهِ

وَالْحَوْلَ بَیْنَهُ وبَیْنَ شَیَاطینهِ وتَأْدیَةِ النَّصِیحَةِ إلَیهِ

والإقبَالِ عَلَیْهِ فِی اللَّهِ فَإنْ انقَادَ لِرَبهِ وَأَحْسَنَ الإجَابَةَ

لَهُ وَإلاّ فَلْیَکُنِ اللهُ آثرَ عِنْدَکَ وَأَکْرَمَ عَلَیْکَ مِنْهُ.

The right of your mother is that you know that she

carried you where no one carries anyone, she gave to you the fruit of her

heart which no one gives to anyone, and she protected you with her hearing,

sight, hands, legs, hair, and skin as well as all her organs. She was highly

delighted, happy, eager, and enduring the harm, pain, heaviness, and grief

until the hand of power saved her from you and brought you out to this earth.

She did not care if she went hungry as long as you ate, was naked as long as

you were clothed, was thirsty as long as you drank, was in the sun as long as

you were in the shade, was miserable as long as you were happy, and was

deprived of sleeping as long as you were resting. Her abdomen was your

container, her lap your seat, her breast your drink, and her soul was your

fort. She protected you from heat and cold. You should thank her for all

that. You will not be able to show her gratitude except through Allah’s help

and grace of thanksgiving.

The right of your father is that you know that he is your

root and you are his branch. Without him, you would not be. Whenever you see

anything in yourself that pleases you, know that your father is the origin of

its blessing upon you. Therefore, praise Allah and thank Him in that measure.

All power belongs to Allah.1

The right of your child

is that you should know that he is from you and will be ascribed to you,

through both his good and his evil, in the immediate affairs of this world.

You are responsible for what has been entrusted to you, such as educating him

in good conduct, pointing him in the direction of his Lord, and helping him

to obey Him. So, act toward him with the behavior of one who knows that he

will be rewarded for doing good and punished for doing evil. In his affairs, behave

with the actions of those who adorn their children with their good deeds and

those who are justified before their Lord because they did well in the

discipline and the custody of their sons. All power belongs to Allah.

The right of your brother

is that you know that he is your hand that you extend, your back from whom

you seek refuge, your power upon which you rely, and your might with which

you move. Take him not as a weapon with which to disobey Allah, nor as

equipment with which to wrong Allah’s creatures. Do not neglect to help him

against his own ill intentions and against his enemy, prevent him from

joining villains, give him good counsel, and associate with him for Allah’s

sake. If he obeys Allah and responds to Him properly, well and good, but if

not, you should prefer and honor Allah more than him.⁽²⁾

This special treatment with relatives involves the lineal tie, which designates the extension of man’s existence and progress. It is experienced as a natural feeling, and has an ethical aspect, especially with reference to taking care of and acting piously towards parents, which is a sort of gratitude, good turn, lenience, and mercy to the old and the

weak. Hence, the Holy Qur'an says:

وَقَضَی رَبُّکَ أَلَّا تَعْبُدُوا إِلَّا إِیَّاهُ وَبِالْوَالِدَیْنِ إِحْسَانًا إِمَّا یَبْلُغَنَّ عِنْدَکَ الْکِبَرَ أَحَدُهُمَا أَوْ کِلَاهُمَا فَلَا تَقُلْ لَهُمَا أُفٍّ وَلَا تَنْهَرْهُمَا وَقُلْ لَهُمَا قَوْلًا کَرِیمًا وَاخْفِضْ لَهُمَا جَنَاحَ الذُّلِّ مِنَ الرَّحْمَةِ وَقُلْ رَبِّ ارْحَمْهُمَا کَمَا رَبَّیَانِی صَغِیرًا

Your Lord has commanded

that you shall not serve any but Him, and be good to your parents. If either

or both of them reach old age with you, say not to them so much as “Ugh” nor

chide them, and speak to them a generous word. And make yourself submissively

gentle to them with compassion, and say: O my Lord! Have compassion on them,

as they brought me up when I was little. (17:23-24)

Furthermore, special treatment with relatives has a significant social and organizational aspect related to Islam’s attitude towards the general structure of society, on the supposition that family is the primary and paramount brick on which the social structure stands.

Scholars

Islam has imparted special social behavior towards scholars and people of virtue and knowledge due to certain ethical, tangible, and social considerations.

As for the ethical, tangible consideration, Islam looks upon knowledge as having realistic worth that grants man a rank of perfection and elevation. The Holy Qur'an thus says:

یَرْفَعِ اللَّهُ الَّذِینَ آمَنُوا مِنْکُمْ وَالَّذِینَ أُوتُوا الْعِلْمَ دَرَجَاتٍ وَاللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِیرٌ

Allah will exalt those of

you who believe and those who are given knowledge in high degrees. Allah is

Aware of what you do. (58:11)

قُلْ هَلْ یَسْتَوِی الَّذِینَ یَعْلَمُونَ وَالَّذِینَ لَا یَعْلَمُونَ إِنَّمَا یَتَذَکَّرُ أُولُو الْأَلْبَابِ

Say: Are those who know

and those who do not know alike? Only the men of understanding are mindful.

(39:9)

As for the social consideration practically adopted by the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a), scholars occupy a distinguished social position represented in the leadership of the Islamic revolution in Iran and its authority over the Muslim nation.

As confirmed in their traditions, the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) have been the worthiest to occupy this position and the only ones granted this authority by Almighty Allah because they possessed knowledge of an unmatched, unattainable degree.

Consequently, the leaders of Muslims must have full knowledge of Islam and be proficient enough to deduce religious laws from their sources.

Treating scholars in special ways has been advised in authentic traditions. Shaykh al-Saduq, in his book of al-Khi¥al, has reported Imam `Ali the Commander of the Faithful (‘a) as saying:

مِنْ حَقِّ الْعَالِمِ أَلاَّ

تُکْثِرَ عَلَیْهِ السُّؤَالَ، وَلاَ تَسْبِقَهُ فِی الْجَوَابِ، وَلاَ تُلِحَّ

إِذَا أَعْرَضَ، وَلاَ تَأْخُذَ بِثَوْبِهِ إِذَا کَسِلَ، وَلاَ تُشِیرَ

إِلَیْهِ بِیَدِکَ، وَلاَ تَغْمُزَ بِعَیْنِکَ، وَلاَ تُسَارَّهُ فِی

مَجْلِسِهِ، وَلاَ تَطْلُبَ عَوْرَاتِهِ، وَأَلاَّ تَقُولَ: قَالَ فُلاَنٌ

خِلاَفَ قَوْلِکَ، وَلاَ تُفْشِیَ لَهُ سِرّاً، وَلاَ تَغْتَابَ عِنْدَهُ

أَحَداً، وَأَنْ تَحْفَظَ لَهُ شَاهِداً وَغَائِباً، وَأَنْ تَعُمَّ الْقَوْمَ

بِالسَّلاَمِ وَتَخُصَّهُ بِالتَّحِیَّةِ، وَتَجْلِسَ بَیْنَ یَدَیْهِ، وَإِنْ

کَانَتْ لَهُ حَاجَةٌ سَبَقْتَ الْقَوْمَ إِلَی خِدْمَتِهِ، وَلاَ تَمَلَّ مِنْ

طُولِ صُحْبَتِهِ، فَإِنَّمَا هُوَ مِثْلُ النَّخْلَةِ فَانْتَظِرْ مَتَی

تَسْقُطُ عَلَیْکَ مِنْهُ مَنْفَعَتُهُ. وَالْعَالِمُ بِمَنْزِلَةِ الصَّائِمِ

الْقَائِمِ الْمُجَاهِدِ فِی سَبِیلِ اللهِ، وَإِذَا مَاتَ الْعَالِمُ انْثَلَمَ

فِی الإِسْلاَمِ ثَلْمَةٌ لاَ تُسَدُّ إِلَی یَوْمِ الْقِیَامَةِ، وَإِنَّ

طَالِبَ الْعِلْمِ لَیُشَیِّعُهُ سَبْعُونَ أَلْفَ مَلَکٍ مِنْ مُقَرَّبِی

السَّمَاءِ.

Among

your duties towards scholars are that you must not load them with too many questions.

You must not precede them in answering. You must not insist when they avoid

(answering a question). You must not impose upon them when they are tired. You

must not point at them by extending a finger. You must not wink at them. You

must not talk confidentially to them during their sessions. You must not

inspect their flaws. You must not address them by stating opinions

contradictory to theirs. You must not reveal their secrets. You must not backbite

in their presence. You must support them in their presence and defend them when

they are absent. You must salute a group of people generally but greet them singly,

sit in their presence, precede all others to meet their needs, and you must

not become weary of long companionship with them. Verily, scholars are just

like date-palm trees; therefore, you must be patient while waiting for their

benefit to descend upon you. A scholar occupies the same standing of one who

permanently fasts, performs acts of worship, and strives for the sake of

Almighty Allah. When a scholar passes away, an irreparable crack occurs in

Islam that continues up to the Day of Resurrection. Verily, when a seeker of knowledge

passes away seventy thousand angels escort him and place him among the most favored

inhabitants of heaven.⁽¹⁾

In the famous Treatise on Rights, Imam Zayn al-`Abidin (‘a) says:

فَحُقُوقُ أَئِمَّتِکَ ثَلاثَةٌ

أَوْجَبُهَا عَلَیْکَ حَقُّ سَائِسِکَ بالسُّلْطَانِ ثُمَّ سَائِسِکَ

بالْعِلْمِ، ثُمَّ حَقُّ سَائِسِکَ بالْمُلْکِ… وَحَقُّ سَائِسِکَ بِالْعِلْمِ

التَّعْظِیمُ لَهُ، وَالتَّوْقِیرُ لِمَجْلِسِهِ، وَحُسْنُ الإسْتِمَاعِ

إِلَیْهِ، وَالإِقْبَالُ عَلَیْهِ، وَأَلاَّ تَرْفَعَ عَلَیْهِ صَوْتَکَ، وَلاَ

تُجِیبَ أَحَداً یَسْأَلُهُ عَنْ شَیْءٍ حَتَّی یَکُونَ هُوَ الَّذِی یُجِیبُ،

وَلاَ تُحَدِّثَ فِی مَجْلِسِهِ أَحَداً، وَلاَ تَغْتَابَ عِنْدَهُ أَحَداً،

وَأَنْ تَدْفَعَ عَنْهُ إِذَا ذُکِرَ عِنْدَکَ بِسُوءٍ، وَأَنْ تَسْتُرَ

عُیُوبَهُ وَتُظْهِرَ مَنَاقِبَهُ، وَلاَ تُجَالِسَ لَهُ عَدُوّاً، وَلاَ

تُعَادِیَ لَهُ وَلِیّاً، فَإِذَا فَعَلْتَ ذَلِکَ شَهِدَ لَکَ مَلاَئِکَةُ

اللهِ بِأَنَّکَ قَصَدْتَهُ، وَتَعَلَّمْتَ عِلْمَهُ للهِ جَلَّ اسْمُهُ

لاَ لِلنَّاسِ.

The rights of your leaders are three: the most incumbent

upon you is the right of a person who trains you through authority, then of

him who trains you through knowledge, and then of him who trains you through

property. Each trainer is a leader… You must honor the right of the one who

trains you through knowledge, by magnifying him, respecting his sessions,1 listening to him, and attending to

him with devotion. You must avoid raising your voice in his presence, avoid

answering others by letting him answer, and avoid talking to anybody during

his sessions. You must avoid backbiting in his presence, defend

him when something bad is

attributed to him, cover up his defects, demonstrate his good points, avoid

sitting with his enemies, and avoid incurring the hostility of one who is

loyal to him. If you do these, then the angels of Almighty Allah will bear

witness that you have tended to him adequately and have learnt his knowledge

for the sake of Almighty Allah, and not for the sake of people.⁽¹⁾

Translator’s Note: According to Tuhaf al-`Uqul, this paragraph has been mentioned in the following form:

وَأَمَّا حَقُّ سَائِسِکَ بِالْعِلْمِ فَالتَّعْظِیمُ لَهُ وَالتَّوْقِیرُ

لِمَجْلِسِهِ وَحُسْنُ الإسْتِمَاعِ إِلَیْهِ وَالإِقْبَالُ عَلَیْهِ وَالْمَعُونَةُ

لَهُ عَلَی نَفْسِکَ فَی مَا لاَ غِنَی بِکَ عَنْهُ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ بِأَنْ تُفْرِغَ

لَهُ عَقْلَکَ وَتُحْضِرَهُ فَهْمَکَ وَتُزَکِّیَ لَهُ قَلْبَکَ وَتُجْلِیَ لَهُ

بَصَرَکَ بِتَرْکِ اللَّذَّاتِ وَنَقْصِ الشَّهَوَاتِ وَأَنْ تَعْلَمَ أَنَّکَ فِی

مَا أَلْقَی إِلَیْکَ رَسُولُهُ إِلَی مَنْ لَقِیَکَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْجَهْلِ فَلَزِمَکَ

حُسْنُ التَّأْدِیَةِ عَنْهُ إِلَیْهِمْ وَلاَ تَخُنْهُ فِی تَأْدِیَةِ رِسَالَتِهِ

وَالْقِیَامِ بِهَا عَنْهُ إِذَا تَقَلَّدْتَهَا، وَلاَ حَوْلَ وَلاَ قُوَّةَ إِلاَّ

بِاللهِ.

The

right of the one who trains you through knowledge is to magnify him, respect

his sessions, listen well to him, attend to him with devotion, and help him

convey to you the knowledge that you indispensably need. You can do so by

emptying your mind to (receive) his information, pay attention to him, purify

your heart for him, open your eyes wide before him by means of abandoning the

appetites and the passions. You should also know that you are considered to

be his messenger when you convey the information that he provides you to the

ignorant ones that you meet. Therefore, it is binding upon you to convey it

on his behalf properly, and avoid betraying him when you are conveying his

message and representing him. All power belongs to Allah.

Neighbors

Neighbors are also worthy of exceptional treatment to bolster social relations with others throughout the geographical area and establish a sound and powerful local social structure. Emphasizing the significance of this special treatment towards neighbors in his last will to his sons, Imam Ali the Commander of the Faithful (‘a), referred to the Holy Prophet’s instructions about neighbors.<a href="#ref-footnote1-page62" id="footnote1-page62" style="display:inline-block"><sup>(1)</sup></a><p class="footnote"><a href="#footnote1-page62" style="color:#3b82f6;" id="ref-footnote1-page62"> 1) </a> [2]- Translator’s Note: In his will for Imam Hasan (‘a) and Imam Husayn (‘a), Imam Ali the Commander of the Faithful (‘a) said:

اللهَ اللهَ فِی

جِیرَانِکُمْ، فَإِنَّهَا وَصِیَّةُ نَبِیِّکُمْ، مَا زَالَ یُوصِی بِهِمْ

حَتَّی ظَنَنَّا أَنَّهُ سَیُوَرِّثُهُمْ.

(Fear) Allah (and) keep Allah in view in the matter of

neighbors, because they were the subject of the Prophet’s advice when he went

on advising in their favor until we thought he would allow them a share in

inheritance.

(Nahj al-Balaghah, Sermon No. 64)

Shaykh al-Saduq has reported another tradition carrying the same import in his books Man-la-Yahzuruhul-Faqih and Iqab al-Amal on the authority of Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) on the authority of his fathers (‘a) on the authority of the Holy Prophet (S) who said:

مَنْ آذَی جَارَهُ حَرَّمَ اللهُ

عَلَیْهِ رِیحَ الْجَنَّةِ، وَمَأْوَاهُ جَهَنَّمُ وَبِئْسَ الْمَصِیرُ. وَمَنْ

ضَیَّعَ حَقَّ جَارِهِ فَلَیْسَ مِنَّا. وَمَا زَالَ جَبْرَئِیلُ یُوصِینِی

بِالْجَارِ حَتَّی ظَنَنْتُ أَنَّهُ سَیُوَرِّثُهُ.

Whoever, harms his

neighbor shall be deprived of the scent of Paradise by Almighty Allah and

Hell shall be his final abode. What an evil destiny Hell is. (Archangel) Gabriel advised me in favor of neighbors so insistently that I believed that a

share of inheritance would be decided for neighbors.⁽¹⁾

Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) is also reported to have quoted his father (‘a) saying:

قَرَأْتُ فِی کِتَابِ عَلِیٍّ

عَلَیْهِ السَّلاَمُ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّی اللهُ عَلَیْهِ وَآلِهِ

وَسَلَّمَ کَتَبَ بَیْنَ الْمُهَاجِرِینَ وَالأَنْصَارِ وَمَنْ لَحِقَ بِهِمْ

مِنْ أَهْلِ یَثْرِبَ أَنَّ الْجَارَ کَالنَّفْسِ غَیْرُ مُضَارٍّ وَلاَ آثِمٍ،

وَحُرْمَةُ الْجَارِ عَلَی الْجَارِ کَحُرْمَةِ أُمِّهِ.

In the Book of (Imam)`Ali (‘a),

I read that the Messenger of Allah (S) wrote a paragraph in the covenant that

he wrote between the Muhajirun (Muslim emigrants of Makkah), the An¥ar

(Muslims of Yathrib), and the inhabitants of Yathrib, who joined them. It ran

thus: Treat your neighbor as yourself; neither harm him nor attribute any sin

to him. The sanctity of one’s neighbor is the same as the sanctity of one’s

mother.⁽²⁾

Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) is also reported as saying:

إِعْلَمُوا أَنَّهُ لَیْسَ مِنَّا

مَنْ لَمْ یُحْسِنْ مُجَاوَرَةَ مَنْ جَاوَرَهُ.

Know that whoever does not

act nobly concerning the rights of his neighbor does not belong to our group.⁽¹⁾

Imam al-Baqir (‘a) reported the Holy Prophet (S) as saying:

مَا آمَنَ بِی مَنْ بَاتَ شَبْعَانَ

وَجَارُهُ جَائِعٌ.

Whoever spends his night

satiated while his neighbor is hungry has never believed in me.⁽²⁾

Muawiyah ibn Ammar has reported that he asked Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) about the area of one’s neighborhood.

The Imam (‘a) answered:

أَرْبَعِینَ

دَاراً مِنْ کُلِّ جَانِبٍ.

Forty houses on each side are included in neighbors.⁽³⁾

The Weak

According to Islam, weak people must also be treated in special ways, including those whose weakness is due to the nature of their physical structure—such as children, women, old people, handicapped and retarded people. The human aspect in this special treatment is too clear to require confirmation.

Imam `Ali (‘a) is reported to have said:

وَارْحَمُوا ضُعَفَاءَکُمْ،

وَاطْلُبُوا الرَّحْمَةَ مِنَ اللهِ بِالرَّحْمَةِ لَهُمْ.

Have mercy on the weak

amongst you and pray that Almighty Allah has mercy on you because of your showing

mercy towards them.⁽⁴⁾

This distinctive treatment also includes the financially weak, such as the poor, the destitute, the wayfarers, and other categories of needy people.

Imam `Ali the Commander of the Faithful (‘a) has quoted the Holy Prophet (S) as saying in one of his sermons:

وَتَصَدَّقُوا عَلَی فُقَرَاءِکُمْ

وَمَسَاکِینِکُمْ، وَوَقِّرُوا کِبَارَکُمْ وَارْحَمُوا صِغَارَکُمْ، وَصِلُوا

أَرْحَامَکُمْ.

Give alms to the poor and the needy amongst you. Have a high regard for

the old amongst you. Have mercy on the young amongst you. Build good

relationships with your relatives.⁽¹⁾

This special treatment also includes those deemed weak because of their social conditions, such as orphans, slaves, and low-wage employees whose social circumstances force them to be under the supervision and custody of others.

Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) has reported on the authority of his fathers (‘a) that the Holy Prophet (S), in his instructions to Imam `Ali (‘a) said:

یَا عَلِیُّ، أَرْبَعٌ مَنْ کُنَّ

فِیهِ بَنَی اللهُ لَهُ بَیْتاً فِی الْجَنَّةِ: مَنْ آوَی الْیَتِیمَ، وَرَحِمَ

الضَّعِیفَ، وَأَشْفَقَ عَلَی وَالِدَیْهِ، وَرَفَقَ بِمَمْلُوکِهِ. یَا

عَلِیُّ، مَنْ کَفَی یَتِیماً فِی نَفَقَتِهِ بِمَالِهِ حَتَّی یَسْتَغْنِیَ وَجَبَتْ

لَهُ الْجَنَّةُ الْبَتَّةَ. یَا عَلِیُّ، مَنْ مَسَحَ یَدَهُ عَلَی رَأْسِ

یَتِیمٍ تَرَحُّماً لَهُ أَعْطَاهُ اللهُ بِکُلِّ شَعْرَةٍ نُوراً یَوْمَ

الْقِیَامَةِ.

O `Ali, whoever carries out the following four acts, Almighty Allah

shall build for him a house in Paradise: (1) providing a shelter for an

orphan, (2) having mercy on the weak, (3) having compassion for parents, and

(4) treating servants leniently. O `Ali, Paradise shall be unquestionably

decided for the person who meets all the expenses of an orphan from his own

wealth such that he makes him financially independent. O `Ali, whoever strokes

the head of an orphan out of sympathy for him, on the Day of Resurrection, Almighty

Allah shall grant him (a piece of) light for each single hair.⁽²⁾

The Holy Prophet’s Progeny

Exceptional treatment has been confirmed for the Holy Prophet’s progeny from the descendants of Imam `Ali and Lady Fatimah—peace be upon them—due to their relationship to the Holy Prophet (S) in order to honor him, acknowledge his right, and sanctify his standing.

Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have said:

لاَ یُقَبَّلُ

رَأْسُ أَحَدٍ وَلاَ یَدُهُ إِلاَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّی اللهُ عَلَیْهِ وَآلِهِ

وَسَلَّمَ أَوْ مَنْ أُرِیدَ بِهِ رَسُولُ اللهِ.

No one’s head or hand must be kissed except the Messenger of Allah’s or

one who is considered to represent him.⁽¹⁾

Al-Husayn ibn Khalid reported Imam al-Riza (‘a) as saying:

النَّظَرُ إِلَی ذُرِّیَّتِنَا

عِبَادَةٌ.

Looking at our progeny is

(a kind of) worship.

The reporter asked, “Does this mean the Imams from your progeny or all of the Holy Prophet’s descendants?”

The Imam (‘a) answered:

بَلِ النَّظَرُ إِلَی جَمِیعِ

ذُرِّیَّةِ النَّبِیِّ صَلَّی اللهُ عَلَیْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ عِبَادَةٌ مَا

لَمْ یُفَارِقُوا مِنْهَاجَهُ وَلَمْ یَتَلَوَّثُوا بِالْمَعَاصِی.

It includes all the

descendants of the Prophet (S) who neither violated his course nor are polluted

by acts of disobedience to Allah.⁽¹⁾

Blank

Chapter Two: Rules And Foundations

Point

Prelude

Blank

Prelude

The second area of discussion appertains to rules that identify the progress and direction of social relations and the foundations on which they are established.

These rules and foundations steer the progress of social relations towards self-perfection in the behavior of individuals and towards social perfection in the activities of the virtuous community.

At the same time, they outline the ethical background and social behavior of the individual by highlighting the role that ethics plays in achieving social perfection in an individual.

Without these ethical restraints, social relations turn into a mere formal mechanism, similar to customs and traditions, disintegrating as soon as the social structure suffers the least change. This has actually taken place under certain conditions like emigration from one society to another, cultural and social intrusions imposed on a society, or overthrow of political regimes. In Western societies, ethics has turned into barren laws and traditions lacking any significant connection to ethics, moral fiber, spirit, or sentiment.

The Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) summed up these rules in the following points:

forbearance and compassion

These regulations are congruous with the Islamic aspects of social relations in trend, goals, form, and content. However, it is necessary to deal with each of these regulations in detail to shed light on the claimed congruity and connection.

Religious and Conventional Laws

Point

Commitment to the religious laws, reason-based pledges and covenants, as well as common conventional manners approved by the Holy Legislator, is in reality an ethical commitment towards Almighty Allah, the One and Only Lord and Creator Who has bestowed uncountable graces upon humankind. Almighty Allah had taken a pledge and a covenant from humankind that they would profess His Oneness in godhead and lordship, and obey and comply with His commandments and prohibitions in this world. Referring to this covenant, the Holy Qur'an says:

وَإِذْ أَخَذَ رَبُّکَ مِنْ بَنِی آدَمَ مِنْ ظُهُورِهِمْ ذُرِّیَّتَهُمْ وَأَشْهَدَهُمْ عَلَی أَنْفُسِهِمْ أَلَسْتُ بِرَبِّکُمْ قَالُوا بَلَی شَهِدْنَا أَنْ تَقُولُوا یَوْمَ الْقِیَامَةِ إِنَّا کُنَّا عَنْ هَذَا غَافِلِینَ أَوْ تَقُولُوا إِنَّمَا أَشْرَکَ آبَاؤُنَا مِنْ قَبْلُ وَکُنَّا ذُرِّیَّةً مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ أَفَتُهْلِکُنَا بِمَا فَعَلَ الْمُبْطِلُونَ

When your Lord brought

forth the children of Adam and, from their backs, their descendants, and made

them bear witness against their own souls, “Am I not your Lord?” They answered,

“Yes! We bear witness.” Lest you should say on the Day of Resurrection,

“Surely, we were heedless of this.” Or, lest you should say, “Only our

fathers associated others with Allah before, and we were an offspring after

them: Will You then destroy us for what the vain doers did?” (7:172-173)

This commitment, therefore, is in reality the fulfillment of the pledge and covenant mentioned in the Holy Qur'an and the acknowledgement of the religion and system of Islam, which Almighty Allah revealed to Muhammad, His servant and messenger, peace be upon him and his Household. This religion came to guide humankind, organize their affairs, and build a virtuous human community so that the believers of this divine message who fulfill this covenant form the

best nation.

These religious laws and regulations, including all commands and prohibitions, are based on actual advantage and disadvantage in both the individual and social movements of humanity. Obeying these religious laws is in truth achieving advantages and evading disadvantages. The second aspect of the Islamic concept of social relations, reinforcing the social structure, cannot be put into practice except by means of gaining advantages and warding off disadvantages.

Further, common conventional manners are just another expression of legitimate social commitments that people of a society agree to use as customs; therefore, conformity with these manners means conformity with people themselves and with society. This is in accord with the first aspect of social relations—openness and sociability.

Obligatory and Forbidden Commitments

Positive and negative implementation of such regulation is found in the details about the superstructure of social relations.

As for the positive aspect, this regulation can be found in fulfillment of promises and covenants, restoration of securities to their owners, participation in funeral ceremonies, presence in congregational prayers and social gatherings, visiting the sick, and like matters that will be discussed in further detail in the second part of this book.

Regarding the negative aspect, application of regulation can be found in threatening others, causing them damage, violating their sanctities, scrutinizing their weaknesses, or spreading corruptive influences among them, which will also be discussed in the second part of this book.

Controlling and Steering the Emotions

Point

The second constraint is to control one’s emotions, feelings, and passions during involvement in certain events and in responding to the results and consequences of those events. When observed, this regulation embodies self-perfection in man’s progress towards Almighty Allah.

Many traditions, reported from the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a), emphasize such regulation as a means of attaining self-perfection.

In two books entitled Man-la-Yahzuruhul-Faqih and Thawab al-Amal, Shaykh al-Saduq has reported through a valid chain of authority on the authority of Shuayb al-`Aqarqufi that Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) said:

مَنْ مَلَکَ نَفْسَهُ إِذَا رَغِبَ

وَإِذَا رَهِبَ وَإِذَا اشْتَهَی وَإِذَا غَضِبَ وَإِذَا رَضِیَ حَرَّمَ اللهُ

جَسَدَهُ عَلَی النَّارِ.

Whoever controls himself

when he desires, fears, craves, or becomes angry, Almighty Allah shall ban

Hellfire from consuming his body.⁽¹⁾

According to another tradition that is reported by Shaykh al-Kulayni in al-Kafi through a valid chain of authority on the authority of Safwan al-Jammal, Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) said:

إِنَّمَا

الْمُؤْمِنُ الَّذِی إِذَا غَضِبَ لَمْ یُخْرِجْهُ غَضَبُهُ مِنْ حَقٍّ، وَإِذَا

رَضِیَ لَمْ یُدْخِلْهُ رِضَاهُ فِی بَاطِلٍ، وَإِذَا قَدَرَ لَمْ یَأْخُذْ

أَکْثَرَ مِمَّا لَهُ.

A true faithful believer is he whose rage does not induce

him to abandon what is right, whose approval (of something) does not induce

him to indulge in the wrong, and whose power does not induce him to take more

than his due.⁽²⁾

Self-Building and Control of Emotions

Without a doubt, self-building is one of the most imposing acts that man adopts in his progress towards self-perfection. According to an authentic tradition, the Holy Prophet (S) is reported to have described self-building as ‘the major jihad’.⁽¹⁾

Al-Sakuni related the following on the authority of Abu-`Abdullah al-Sadiq (‘a):

On seeing the armies returning from the battlefront, the Holy Prophet (S) said, “Blessed are those who have performed the minor jihad, and have yet to perform the major one.” When asked what the major jihad was, the Holy Prophet replied, “It is the jihad of the self (struggle against self).”

One aspect of self-building is controlling emotions and steering them towards what is right and approved by religious laws and divine goals.

In its subjective aspect, the significance of this regulation stems from educating and strengthening the human will to be in a permanent state of harmony with reason and religious laws in its choice and activity. The Holy Legislator has conferred a special significance upon reason and granted it a vital role in the progress of humanity and in guiding human will towards uprightness and helping human souls accomplish the final goal of their existence by controlling emotions during interaction.

In an authentic tradition, the Holy Prophet (S) is reported to have said:

إِنَّ اللهَ سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَی خَلَقَ

الْعَقْلَ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُ: أَقْبِلْ. فَأَقْبَلَ. ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُ: أَدْبِرْ.

فَأَدْبَرَ. ثُمَّ قَالَ: وَعِزَّتِی وَجَلاَلِی، مَا خَلَقْتُ خَلْقاً هُوَ

أَحَبَّ إِلَیَّ مِنْکَ، وَلاَ أَکْمَلْتُکَ إِلاَّ فِی مَنْ أُحِبُّ. أَمَا

إِنِّی إِیَّاکَ آمُرُ، وَإِیَّاکَ أَنْهَی، وَإِیَّاکَ أُعَاقِبُ، وَإِیَّاکَ

أُثِیبُ.

When Almighty Allah created the intellect (i.e.

reason), He ordered it to come. So, the intellect did. He then ordered it to

leave, and the intellect responded. Then, Almighty Allah declared, “By My

Might and Majesty I take this oath, I have never created any creature dearer

to me than you. I shall never deposit you in your perfect form except with those

whom I love. Verily, it is you whom I will order, warn, punish, and reward.⁽¹⁾

According to another validly reported tradition, `Abdullah ibn Sinan asked Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) whether the angels or mankind were more favored.

The Imam (‘a) answered:

قَالَ أَمِیرُ الْمُؤْمِنِینَ عَلِیُّ بْنُ أَبِی طَالِبٍ

عَلَیْهِ السَّلاَمُ: إِنَّ اللهَ رَکَّبَ فِی الْمَلاَئِکَةِ عَقْلاً بِلاَ

شَهْوَةٍ، وَرَکَّبَ فِی الْبَهَائِمِ شَهْوَةً بِلاَ عَقْلٍ، وَرَکَّبَ فِی

بَنِی آدَمَ کِلَیْهِمَا. فَمَنْ غَلَبَ عَقْلُهُ شَهْوَتَهُ فَهُوَ خَیْرٌ مِنَ

الْمَلاَئِکَةِ، وَمَنْ غَلَبَتْ شَهْوَتُهُ عَقْلَهُ فَهُوَ شَرٌّ مِنَ

الْبَهَائِمِ.

`Ali ibn Abi-Talib, the Commander of the Faithful, (‘a) said:

Almighty Allah installed in angels reason without appetite, and in beasts

appetite without reason; while in human beings, He installed both reason and

appetite. Thus, a human being whose reason overcomes his appetite becomes

more favorable than angels, but he whose appetite overcomes his reason becomes

lowlier than beasts.⁽²⁾

Nobility of Character and Control of Emotions

Controlling ones emotions contributes to self-perfection of individuals, which automatically has a great bearing on the self-perfection of the whole society.

Additionally, an individual characterized by uprightness and distinctive moral features leaves an undeniable impact on the other individuals of society. An upright individual’s social behavior will necessarily reflect his or her sound psychological reality.

For that reason, the Holy Qur'an, highlighting this ethical aspect in behavior, has praised the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S) for the excellence of his morality:

وَإِنَّکَ لَعَلَی خُلُقٍ عَظِیمٍ

Most surely, you conform

to sublime morality. (68:4)

Justice and Fairness under All Circumstances

Point

The third rule in social relations is the commitment to justice and fairness with all people without discrimination. Hence, one is required to be fair even if such fairness forces him to confess his mistake in any incident or issue. This rule expresses the ethical background of the Islamic concept of social relations.

In its capacity as one of the most significant aspects of the social system, this rule has been adopted by Islam as the basis on which its whole system is established. Hence, the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) regarded justice as an essential foundation of man’s relationship with Almighty Allah.

Second to divine mercy, justice is a pillar in man’s relationship with the Creator; in the production and distribution of wealth; in government; in judgment between parties of a dispute; and in man’s relationship with himself.

Maintenance of Justice among People

The Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) emphasized justice and fair play as the basis of the social system in general and in social relations in particular. Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) said:

إِتَّقُوا اللهَ وَاعْدِلُوا،

فَإِنَّکُمْ تَعِیبُونَ عَلَی قَوْمٍ لاَ یَعْدِلُونَ.

Fear Allah and act justly yourselves,

for you are censuring people who do not establish justice.⁽¹⁾

He (‘a) is also reported to have said:

الْعَدْلُ أَحْلَی مِنَ

الشَّهْدِ، وَأَلْیَنُ مِنَ الزُّبْدِ، وَأَطْیَبُ رِیحاً مِنَ الْمِسْکِ.

Justice

is sweeter than honey, softer than butter, and more fragrant than musk.⁽¹⁾

Protest against injustice

The Holy Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) prohibited unjust treatment of the people. Usually, injustice is the result of misappropriation and disequilibrium in the accurate criteria of social relations.

Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (‘a) is reported to have said:

مَا مِنْ أَحَدٍ یَظْلِمُ

مَظْلَمَةً إِلاَّ أَخَذَهُ اللهُ بِهَا فِی نَفْسِهِ وَمَالِهِ، فَأَمَّا

الظُّلْمُ الَّذِی بَیْنَهُ وَبَیْنَ اللهِ فَإِذَا تَابَ غُفِرَ لَهُ.

No one commits a wrongdoing

but that Almighty Allah shall punish him for it in his personal affairs or

property. As for wrongdoings that one commits in his relationship with

Almighty Allah, they are forgivable when the wrongdoer repents.⁽²⁾

Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have said:

مَا مِنْ مَظْلَمَةٍ أَشَدُّ مِنْ

مَظْلَمَةٍ لاَ یَجِدُ صَاحِبُهَا عَلَیْهَا عَوْناً إِلاَّ اللهُ.

No act of injustice is

graver than wronging one who has no helping power to repel it save Almighty

Allah.⁽³⁾

Abu-Basir has reported that two disputing men visited Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) and each one put forward his claim. After he had heard both of them, the Imam (‘a) said:

أَمَا

إِنَّهُ مَا ظَفَرَ بِخَیْرٍ مَنْ ظَفَرَ بِالظُّلْمِ. أَمَا إِنَّ الْمَظْلُومَ

یَأْخُذُ مِنْ دِینِ الظَّالِمِ أَکْثَرَ مِمَّا یَأْخُذُ الظَّالِمُ مِنْ مَالِ

الْمَظْلُومِ. مَنْ یَفْعَلِ الشَّرَّ بِالنَّاسِ فَلاَ یُنْکِرِ الشَّرَّ إِذَا

فُعِلَ بِهِ. أَمَا إِنَّهُ یَحْصِدُ ابْنُ آدَمَ مَا یَزْرَعُ، وَلَیْسَ

یَحْصِدُ أَحَدٌ مِنَ الْمُرِّ حُلْواً، وَلاَ مِنَ الْحُلْوِ مُرّاً.

Truly, I say, he that gains something by unjust means

has in fact gained no benefit. Verily, the wronged party seizes from the

faith of the wronging party more than the wronging party seizes unjustly from

the property of the wronged party. He that causes evil to people must not

complain against the evil that is caused to him. Verily, the son of Adam

(i.e. man) will reap only that which he has sown. No one can harvest sweetness

from the bitter and no one can harvest bitterness from the sweet.

Upon hearing these words, the two disputing parties made up with each other and left.⁽¹⁾

Giving others their rights even if it be against oneself

The Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) urged their followers to be fair with all people by giving them their rights even if it went against their own interests. Hence, The Holy Imams (‘a) confirmed that the quality of faith (i.e. iman) cannot be ascribed to anyone who does not treat all people equally and give each one his due even if he does not receive his own due.

Seemingly, any unjust act in social relations initially arises from one’s preferring oneself to others and giving one’s own right precedence over the rights of others. This trend then develops to include preferring certain individuals to others and giving the rights of a certain group precedence over the rights of the public. Justice will be established among all people when each person gives all others their

due even if it is against oneself.

Imam Ja`far al-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have quoted the Holy Prophet (S) as saying:

سَیِّدُ الأَعْمَالِ إِنْصَافُ

النَّاسِ مِنْ نَفْسِکَ وَمُوَاسَاةُ الأَخِ فِی اللهِ وَذِکْرُ اللهِ عَلَی

کُلِّ حَالٍ.

Three acts

are the masters of all deeds: (1) to treat people fairly even if it is against

oneself, (2) to be cordial with your brothers in faith, and (3) to praise

Almighty Allah in all circumstances.⁽¹⁾

Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) is also reported to have quoted the Holy Prophet (S) as saying:

مَنْ

وَاسَی الْفَقِیرَ مِنْ مَالِهِ وَأَنْصَفَ النَّاسَ مِنْ نَفْسِهِ فَذَلِکَ

الْمُؤْمِنُ حَقّاً.

He who financially

comforts the poor from his wealth and gives people their dues, even if it be against

his own interests, is a true and faithful believer.⁽²⁾

Abu-`Ubaydah al-Hadhdha' has reported Imam al-Baqir (‘a) as saying:

أَلاَ

أُخْبِرُکَ بِأَشَدَّ مَا افْتَرَضَ اللهُ عَلَی خَلْقِهِ؟ إِنْصَافُ النَّاسِ

مِنْ أَنْفُسِهِمْ وَمُوَاسَاةُ الإِخْوَانِ فِی اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَذِکْرُ

اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ عَلَی کُلِّ حَالٍ، فَإِنْ عَرَضَتْ لَهُ طَاعَةٌ عَمِلَ

بِهَا وَإِنْ عَرَضَتْ لَهُ مَعْصِیَةٌ تَرَکَهَا.

May I tell you about

the most difficult duty that Almighty Allah has imposed on His creatures? It

is to give others their rights against oneself, to equate brethren-in-faith

with oneself, to praise Almighty Allah under all conditions, to perform any

act of obedience to Almighty Allah whenever it is encountered, and to avoid

any act of disobedience to Him whenever encountered.⁽³⁾

The Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) instructed their followers strongly to love for their brethren-in-faith whatever they loved for themselves.

This instruction can be evidently seen in Imam `Ali’s instructive letter to his son, Imam Hasan (‘a), in which he said:

فَأَحْبِبْ لِغَیْرِکَ مَا تُحِبُّ

لِنَفْسِکَ وَاکْرَهْ لَهُ مَا تَکْرَهُ لَهَا.

Love for the others

whatever you love for yourself and hate for them whatever you hate for

yourself.⁽¹⁾

Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) also said:

أَوْحَی اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِلَی

آدَمَ: إِنِّی سَأَجْمَعُ لَکَ الْکَلاَمَ فِی أَرْبَعِ کَلِمَاتٍ: وَاحِدَةٌ

لِی، وَوَاحِدَةٌ لَکَ، وَوَاحِدَةٌ فَی مَا بَیْنِی وَبَیْنَکَ، وَوَاحِدَةٌ

فِی مَا بَیْنَکَ وَبَیْنَ النَّاسِ… أَمَّا الَّتِی لِی فَتَعْبُدُنِی لاَ

تُشْرِکُ بِی شَیْئاً. وَأَمَّا الَّتِی لَکَ فَأَجْزِیکَ بِعَمَلِکَ أَحْوَجَ

مَا تَکُونُ إِلَیْهِ. وَأَمَّا الَّتِی بَیْنِی وَبَیْنَکَ فَعَلَیْکَ

الدُّعَاءُ وَعَلَیَّ الإِجَابَةُ. وَأَمَّا الَّتِی بَیْنَکَ وَبَیْنَ النَّاسِ

فَتَرْضَی لِلنَّاسِ مَا تَرْضَی لِنَفْسِکَ وَتَکْرَهُ لَهُمْ مَا تَکْرَهُ

لِنَفْسِکَ.

Almighty Allah, through

revelation, addressed to Adam the following: I will summarize the whole

wording for you in the following four statements…one statement is about Me,

the other about you, the third about what is between you and Me, and the

fourth is about what is between you and the people…The word that is for Me is

that you must worship me without setting any partner with Me. The word that

is for you is that I reward you for your deeds when you are in the most

urgent need for that reward. The word that pertains to what is between you

and Me is that you pray to Me and I respond to you. The word that pertains to

what is between you and the people is that you accept for them whatever you

accept for yourself and hate for them whatever you hate for yourself.⁽²⁾

Nobility of Character and Indulgence

The fourth rule according to the instructions of the Holy Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) is showing nobility of character, kindness and leniency while interacting with people. This is the ethical basis of openness in social relations.

It is necessary to understand that the ethical tenor of social relations consists of love and affection. It is not an empty, formal relation or a mechanism that is based on mutual benefits and interests; rather, it is an emotional and sentimental tie because social relations cannot attain perfection through common or personal interests but through mutual love and affection.

Undoubtedly, good manners, showing affection to others, courtesy, and forbearance in dealing with people are expressions of this love and indicate the first important step on this path, remove all barriers and negative impacts that stand against love, and symbolize love at the time that its constituents and elements attain perfection.

Traditions corroborating this tenor and its outcomes have been reported from the Holy Prophet (S):

Shaykh al-Kulayni, through an authentic chain of authority, has quoted Imam al-Baqir (‘a) as relating the following:

A Bedouin from the Banu-Tamim tribe came to the Holy Prophet (S) and asked for an advice. The Holy Prophet (S) answered:

تَحَبَّبْ إِلَی النَّاسِ

یُحِبُّوکَ.

Try to endear yourself to

people and they will certainly love you.⁽¹⁾

The author of Wasa'il al-Shiah has dedicated two sections, in the chapter on laws of association with people, to good manners and forbearance. In these sections, he has recorded numerous traditions confirming this fact and relating the perfection of faith to love and endearing oneself to others<a href="#ref-footnote2-page86" id="footnote2-page86" style="display:inline-block"><sup>(2)</sup></a><p class="footnote"><a href="#footnote2-page86" style="color:#3b82f6;" id="ref-footnote2-page86"> 2) </a> [2]- Refer to al-Hurr al-Amili, Wasa'il al-Shiah 8:503-539, Chapter: Etiquettes of Association with People (Ahkam al-Ishrah), S. 104, 121. In addition, sections 29 and 30 are also full of other traditions demonstrating the importance of endearing oneself to others and associating with them with forbearance.

Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (‘a) is reported to have said:

إِنَّ أَکْمَلَ الْمُؤْمِنِینَ

إِیمَاناً أَحْسَنُهُمْ خُلُقاً.

Certainly, the most

faithful of the believers have the best manners.⁽³⁾

Imam Ja`far al-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have said:

إِنَّ الْخُلُقَ الْحَسَنَ یُمِیثُ

الْخَطِیئَةَ کَمَا تُمِیثُ الشَّمْسُ الْجَلِیدَ.

Verily, good conduct dissolves

sins in the same way that sunlight dissolves snow.⁽⁴⁾

He (‘a) is also reported as saying:

إِنَّ حُسْنَ الْخُلُقِ

یَبْلُغُ بِصَاحِبِهِ دَرَجَةَ الصَّائِمِ الْقَائِمِ.

Good manners promote to the rank of those who persistently

observe fasting and spend their nights in acts of worship.⁽¹⁾

He (‘a) is also reported as saying:

أَکْمَلُ النَّاسِ عَقْلاً

أَحْسَنُهُمْ خُلُقاً.

The wisest

of all people are those with the best manners.⁽²⁾

He (‘a) is also reported as saying:

إِنَّ اللهَ

تَبَارَکَ وَتَعَالَی لَیُعْطِی الْعَبْدَ مِنَ الثَّوَابِ عَلَی حُسْنِ

الْخُلُقِ کَمَا یُعْطِی الْمُجَاهِدَ فِی سَبِیلِ اللهِ یَغْدُو عَلَیْهِ

وَیَرُوحُ.

Verily,

Almighty Allah grants his servants a reward for good conduct equal to the

reward of one who is frequently engaged in jihad in the way of Allah.⁽³⁾

He (‘a) is also reported to have quoted the Holy Prophet (S) as saying:

أَمَرَنِی رَبِّی بِمُدَارَاةِ

النَّاسِ کَمَا أَمَرَنِی بِالْفَرَائِضِ.

Just as my Lord ordered me

to persevere in obligatory (religious) duties, so also He ordered me to observe

forbearance.⁽⁴⁾

He (‘a) is also reported to have quoted the Holy Prophet (S) as saying:

مُدَارَاةُ النَّاسِ نِصْفُ

الإِیمَانِ وَالرِّفْقُ بِهِمْ نِصْفُ الْعَیْشِ.

Treating people with moderation

is half of one’s faith, and to be lenient towards them is half of one’s

sustenance.⁽⁵⁾

Sufyan ibn Uyaynah reported that he once asked al-Zuhri whether he had met Ali ibn al-Husayn (Zayn al-`Abidin) (‘a). Al-Zuhri answered, “Yes, I have met him. I have never met a person more virtuous than he is. By Allah, I have never known that he had a friend in secret or an enemy in public.”

Sufyan asked, “How was that?”

Al-Zuhri answered, “Because all those who loved him envied him out of their abundant knowledge of his outstanding merits, and all those who hated him used to treat him with tolerance because he treated them with even more tolerance.”⁽¹⁾

Fuzayl ibn Yasar reported that he asked Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) whether to love and hate for Allah’s sake is part of faith. The Imam (‘a) answered:

وَهَلِ الإیمَانُ إلاَّ الْحُبُّ

وَالبُغْضُ؟

Is true faith anything

other than such love and hate?

Then the Imam (‘a) said the following Qur'anic verse to confirm his words:

وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ فِیکُمْ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ لَوْ یُطِیعُکُمْ فِی کَثِیرٍ مِنَ الْأَمْرِ لَعَنِتُّمْ وَلَکِنَّ اللَّهَ حَبَّبَ إِلَیْکُمُ الْإِیمَانَ وَزَیَّنَهُ فِی قُلُوبِکُمْ وَکَرَّهَ إِلَیْکُمُ الْکُفْرَ وَالْفُسُوقَ وَالْعِصْیَانَ أُولَئِکَ هُمُ الرَّاشِدُونَ

…Allah has endeared

the faith to you and has made it seemly in your hearts, and He has made

hateful to you unbelief and transgression and disobedience; these it is that

are the followers of a right way. (49:7)”⁽²⁾

Al-Hurr al-Amili, Wasa'il al-Shiah 11:435, H. 16; al-Barqi, al-Mahasin 1:409, H. 930, published by the Ahl al-Bayt World Assembly.

Safwan al-Jammal reported on the authority of Abu-`Ubaydah Ziyad al-Hadhdha' that Imam al-Baqir (‘a) said to him:

یَا زِیَادُ وَیْحَکَ! وَهَلِ الدِّینُ إِلاَّ الْحُبُّ؟

أَلاَ تَرَی قَوْلَ اللهِ: {قُلْ إِنْ کُنْتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِی یُحْبِبْکُمُ اللَّهُ وَیَغْفِرْ لَکُمْ ذُنُوبَکُمْ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَحِیمٌ }؟ أَوَ

لاَ تَرَی قَوْلَ اللهِ لِمُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّی اللهُ عَلَیْهِ وَآلِهِ: {وَلَکِنَّ اللَّهَ حَبَّبَ إِلَیْکُمُ الْإِیمَانَ وَزَیَّنَهُ فِی قُلُوبِکُمْ}؟ وَقَالَ:

{یُحِبُّونَ مَنْ هَاجَرَ إِلَیْهِمْ} الدِّینُ

هُوَ الْحُبُّ، وَالْحُبُّ هُوَ الدِّینُ.

O Ziyad, is religiousness anything other than love? Consider Almighty

Allah’s saying (in the Holy Qur'an), “Say: If you love Allah, then follow me,

Allah will love you and forgive you your faults, and Allah is Forgiving,

Merciful. (3:31)” Consider Almighty Allah’s saying to Muhammad (S), “Allah

has endeared the faith to you and has made it seemly in your hearts. (49:7)”

He has also said, “They love those who have fled to them. (59:9)” Thus, the

religion is love and love is religion.⁽¹⁾

Al-Hurr al-Amili, Wasa'il al-Shiah 11:435, H. 17; al-Barqi, al-Mahasin 1:409, H. 931, published by the Ahl al-Bayt World Assembly.

Although love, mentioned in these traditions, stands for love for Almighty Allah, surely to love Muslims and faithful believers for His sake has to be a class of faith because such love stems from love for Almighty Allah and for His sake, as maintained by other traditions.

Sallam ibn al-Mustanir has reported Imam al-Baqir (‘a) as saying:

وِدُّ الْمُؤْمِنِ فِی اللهِ مِنْ

أَعْظَمِ شُعَبِ الإیمَانِ. أَلاَ وَمَنْ أَحَبَّ فِی اللهِ وَأَبْغَضَ فِی

اللهِ وَأَعْطَی فِی اللهِ وَمَنَعَ فِی اللهِ فَهُوَ مِنْ أَصْفِیَاءِ اللهِ.

When a believer loves

(others) for the sake of Almighty Allah, this becomes one of the greatest

parts of faith. Verily, he who loves, hates, gives, and withholds for the

sake of Almighty Allah is one of His elite servants.⁽²⁾

Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have said:

مِنْ أَوْثَقِ عُرَی الإِیمَانِ

أَنْ تُحِبَّ فِی اللهِ، وَتُبْغِضَ فِی اللهِ، وَتُعْطِیَ فِی اللهِ،

وَتَمْنَعَ فِی اللهِ.

One of the firmest handles

of faith is to love, hate, give, and withhold exclusively for the sake of

Almighty Allah.⁽¹⁾

Charity and Taking the Lead in Charitable Behavior

Point

The fifth rule in the Islamic conception of social relations is to be charitable towards others. This act can be classified into two types:

Charitable Behavior towards all People

The first type of charity is to behave charitably towards all people without taking into consideration whether a tie between the source and the target exists or not. Examples of this type of charity are public deeds of charitable people such as paving roads, digging wells, building guesthouses, endowing property for public purposes, feeding the hungry, helping the poor and the needy, building vocational institutes, and establishing educational, health, and cultural centers. Similar activities of charity, which demonstrate interest in the general affairs of Muslims can be described as deeds that are fisabilillah (i.e. in the way of Allah).

Such deeds, urged by Islam, are the most favorable and genuine form of charity, since they bring about a great reward and compensation and contribute to the perfection of individuals and communities. They are charitable acts that have no direct connection with social relations, although they have a broad-ranging effect on social relations.

Charitable Behavior in Social Relations

The second type of charity is direct charitable behavior towards certain individuals or Muslims in general. This type of charity represents the basic pillar that helps perfect social relations. It also presents love and affection as being the actual purpose behind building good social relations.

It is the most powerful and effective means of gaining affection and love, evading social problems, and diminishing negative reactions in social relations. Finally, it is an image of the high moral standard of man. All these features are visible in traditions that stress the significance of doing good towards others.

For instance, Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have said:

إِصْنَعِ الْمَعْرُوفَ إِلَی مَنْ

هُوَ أَهْلُهُ وَإِلَی مَنْ لَیْسَ مِنْ أَهْلِهِ، فَإِنْ لَمْ یَکُنْ هُوَ

أَهْلَهُ فَکُنْ أَنْتَ مِنْ أَهْلِهِ.

Do favor to those who

deserve it and those who do not, because if they do not deserve it, you are

worthy of doing it.⁽¹⁾

He (‘a) is also reported to have said:

إِصْنَعُوا الْمَعْرُوفَ إِلَی

کُلِّ أَحَدٍ، فَإِنْ کَانَ أَهْلَهُ وَإِلاَّ فَأَنْتَ أَهْلُهُ.

Do favors to everybody. Even

if they do not deserve them, you are worthy of doing them.⁽²⁾

Doing Good to Oneself

In order to maintain equilibrium in this respect, Islam has rendered doing good to others as doing good to oneself. Hence, Almighty Allah says:

إِنْ أَحْسَنْتُمْ أَحْسَنْتُمْ لِأَنْفُسِکُمْ وَإِنْ أَسَأْتُمْ فَلَهَا

If you do good, you will

do good for your own souls, and if you do evil, it shall be for your own souls

also. (17:7)

In view of this, the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) did not only instruct their followers to do good and behave charitably. They asked their followers to precede all others in charity in

such a way that the principle of conceding one’s right and treating others kindly would become one of the social duties incumbent on true Muslims, as it raises one towards self-perfection and, at the same time, contributes to social perfection.

In this respect, Imam al-Baqir (‘a) is reported to have said:

مَنْ خَالَطْتَ فَإِنِ اسْتَطَعْتَ

أَنْ تَکُونَ یَدُکَ الْعُلْیَا عَلَیْهِمْ فَافْعَلْ.

If you can take the lead

among those with whom you associate, then do it.⁽¹⁾

Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) is also reported as saying:

فِی قَوْلِ اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ:

(إِنَّا نَرَاکَ مِنَ الْمُحْسِنِینَ) قَالَ: کَانَ یُوسِعُ الْمَجْلِسَ

وَیَسْتَقْرِضُ لِلْمُحْتَاجِ وَیُعِینُ الضَّعِیفَ.

Regarding the holy verse,

“Surely, we see you to be of the doers of good. (12:36)” He (i.e. Prophet

Joseph (‘a)) was described thus because he used to make room in his

assemblies for those who had just joined them, borrow money to give to the

needy, and help the weak.⁽²⁾

Good Example and Unique Behavior

The sixth rule of social relations is to be perfect examples of social behavior. This basic pillar builds excellent social relations and leads people to perfection. It is, moreover, the best means of teaching others ethical behavior. ⁽¹⁾

The Holy Imams (‘a) ordered their followers to commit to this principle and play a vital role in persuading Muslims to emulate them.

Shaykh al-Kulayni has reported, through an authentic chain of authority, that Safwan ibn Yahya reported Abu-Usamah Zayd al-Shahham as saying that Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) said to him:

إقْرَأْ عَلَی مَنْ تَرَی أَنَّهُ

یُطِیعُنِی مِنْهُمْ وَیَأْخُذُ بِقَوْلِی السَّلاَمَ، وَأُوصِیکُمْ بِتَقْوَی

اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، وَالْوَرَعَ فِی دِینِکُمْ، وَالاجْتِهَادَ للهِ، وَصِدْقَ

الْحَدِیثِ، وَأَدَاءَ الأَمَانَةِ، وَطُولَ السُّجُودِ، وَحُسْنَ الْجِوَارِ.

فَبِهَذَا جَاءَ مُحَمَّدٌ صَلَّی اللهُ عَلَیْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ؛ کَانَ

یَأْمُرُ بِأَدَاءِ الْخَیْطِ وَالْمَخِیطِ. صِلُوا عَشَائِرَکُمْ، وَاشْهَدُوا

جَنَائِزَهُمْ، وَعُودُوا مَرْضَاهُمْ، وَأَدُّوا حُقُوقَهُمْ؛ فَإنَّ الرَّجُلَ

مِنْکُمْ إذَا وَرِعَ فِی دِینِهِ وَصَدَقَ الْحَدِیثَ وَأَدَّی الأَمَانَةَ

وَحَسَّنَ خُلُقَهُ مَعَ النَّاسِ قِیلَ هَذَا جَعْفَرِیٌّ، فَیَسُرُّنِی ذَلِکَ

وَیَدْخُلُ عَلَیَّ مِنْهُ السُّرُورَ، وَقِیلَ هَذَا أَدَبُ جَعْفَرٍ. وَاللهِ

لَحَدَّثَنِی أَبِی عَلَیْهِ السَّلاَمُ أَنَّ الرَّجُلَ کَانَ یَکُونُ فِی

القَبِیلَةِ مِنْ شِیعَةِ عَلِیٍّ عَلَیْهِ السَّلاَمُ فَیَکُونُ زَیْنَهَا،

آدَاهُمْ لِلأَمَانَةِ، وَأَقْضَاهُمْ لِلْحُقُوقِ، وَأَصْدَقَهُمْ لِلْحَدِیثِ،

إلَیْهِ وَصَایَاهُمْ وَوَدَائِعُهُمْ، تُسْأَلُ الْعَشِیرَةُ عَنْهُ فَتَقُولُ:

مَنْ مِثْلُ فُلانٍ؟ إنَّهُ آدَانَا لِلأَمَانَةِ وَأَصْدَقُنَا لِلْحَدِیثِ.

Deliver my greetings to

every one whom you consider to be obeying me and following my orders. (Say to

them): I advise you to fear Almighty Allah, to act piously with regard to the

affairs of your religion, to work painstakingly for the sake of Almighty

Allah, to be honest in speech, to fulfill the trusts entrusted with you, to make

prolonged prostration before Almighty Allah, and to observe good neighborliness.

Verily, these are the traits with which Prophet Muhammad (S) came. You should

give back things with which you were entrusted to their owners, be the owners

righteous or dissolute. The Messenger of Allah (S) used to order his

followers to fulfill their trusts even if they were only a thread and needle.

Build good relationships with your clans, present yourselves at their funeral

processions, visit the sick among them, and carry out your duties towards

them. Verily, if one of you shows piety in his religious affairs, speaks

nothing but the truth, and behaves politely towards the people, they will

refer to him as belonging to Ja`far and they will say that this is the way

Ja`far educates his followers. This thing will please me and fill me with

delight. If one does the opposite, it is I who will be defamed and offended,

since the people will then say that Ja`far has trained his followers in this

manner. I swear by Allah that my father (‘a) told me that a (true) Shi`ite in

a clan would be the best of its individuals, the most trustworthy, the most

observant of their rights, and the most honest. The other individuals of that

clan would always keep their wills and

trusts with him.1 When they

would be asked about him, they would answer that he was unmatched among them,

since he was the most trustworthy and the most honest.⁽²⁾

Kathir ibn `Alqamah has reported that he once asked Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) for advice. The Imam thus (‘a) said:

أُوصِیکَ

بِتَقْوَی اللهِ وَالْوَرَعِ وَالْعِبَادَةِ وَطُولِ السُّجُودِ وَأَدَاءِ

الأَمَانَةِ وَصِدْقِ الْحَدِیثِ وَحُسْنِ الْجِوَارِ. فَبِهَذَا جَاءَنَا

مُحَمَّدٌ، صَلَّی اللهُ عَلَیْهِ وَآلِهِ. صِلُوا فِی عَشَائِرِکُمْ وَعُودُوا

مَرْضَاکُمْ وَاشْهَدُوا جَنَائِزَکُمْ، وَکُونُوا لَنَا زَیْناً وَلاَ تَکُونُوا

عَلَیْنَا شَیْناً. حَبِّبُونَا إِلَی النَّاسِ وَلاَ تُبَغِّضُونَا إِلَیْهِمْ،

فَجُرُّوا إِلَیْنَا کُلَّ مَوَدَّةٍ وَادْفَعُوا عَنَّا کُلَّ شَرٍّ.

I command you to fear Allah, relinquish prohibited acts, stick to

devotional acts, prostrate yourself as long as you can, fulfill trusts, tell only

truths, and treat your neighbor kindly. This is exactly what has been brought

to us by Muhammad—peace be upon him and his Household. Build up good

relations with the members of your tribes. Visit the sick among them. Attend

their funeral ceremonies. Represent us excellently (before others) and do not

create a bad opinion of us. Draw people to fondness towards us and avert from

us every evil…⁽¹⁾

Abdullah ibn Abi-Yafur has reported Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) as saying:

کُونُوا دُعَاةً لِلنَّاسِ

بِالْخَیْرِ بِغَیْرِ ألْسِنَتِکُمْ، لِیَرَوْا مِنْکُمُ الإجْتِهَادَ

وَالصِّدْقَ وَالْوَرَعَ.

Act as heralds to goodness

among the masses by other means than your tongues (i.e. speech) so that they

can become aware of your diligence, honesty, and piety.⁽²⁾

According to another narration of the same purport, the Imam (‘a) said:

کُونُوا دُعَاةً لِلنَّاسِ

بِالْخَیْرِ بِغَیْرِ ألْسِنَتِکُمْ، لِیَرَوْا مِنْکُمُ الْوَرَعَ

وَالإِجْتِهَادَ وَالصَّلاَةَ وَالْخَیْرَ، فَإِنَّ ذَلِکَ دَاعِیَةٌ.

Act as heralds to goodness

among the masses by other means than your tongues (i.e. speech) so that they

can become aware of your abstention (from violating Almighty Allah’s

prohibitions), diligence, prayers, and goodness. Verily, these things are

heralds.⁽¹⁾

By means of these rules and foundations, the Islamic concept of social relations reaches perfection. It is significant that the five aspects of social concept are based on a number of well-built foundations whose elements and details will be cited in the coming section of this book: the superstructure of the social relations system of Islam.

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Part Two: The Superstructure Of Social Relations

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Prelude

Chapter One: Superstructure Of Various Aspects Social Relations

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Prelude

The superstructure of social relations denotes the details of the system of association as tackled by books of traditions (i.e. hadith). This system is composed of a set of obligatory laws on social etiquette and manners, deals with the various forms of association with others, and presents the ideal and most accurate outline for building social relations.

Islam has identified the aspects of this concept, outlined its foundations and rules and established (s)

In the coming chapters, we will briefly discuss the details of this concept and the relationship between these details and the two aspects of the Islamic concept of social relations. The correlation between the rules of the concept and its features on the one hand and the superstructure or details, on the other, will be made unmistakably clear.

However, details and demonstration of the outlines and elements of this concept is left for my independent book that is dedicated to the Islamic concept of social relations.⁽¹⁾

This section is composed of two chapters. The first chapter deals with the superstructure, which confirms and clarifies different aspects of social relations.

The second chapter deals with the superstructure of the

rules and foundations of the concept.

Discussion of details will follow the sequence adopted in the first section of this book.

Aspect of Openness

Additional Indications of Openness

With regard to openness in social relations, the traditions of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) demonstrate this aspect.

(1) Traditions emphasize exchanging greetings, because salutation is often the key to building good social relations with others.

Through a valid chain of authority, Shaykh al-Kulayni has reported Imam al-Baqir (‘a) as saying:

إِنَّ اللهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ یُحِبُّ

إِفْشَاءَ السَّلاَمِ.

Verily, Allah the Almighty

and Majestic likes offering salutation.⁽¹⁾

Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have said:

مِنَ التَّوَاضُعِ أَنْ تُسَلِّمَ

عَلَی مَنْ لَقِیتَ.

To greet everyone you meet

is a sort of modesty.⁽²⁾

Instructing Imam `Ali (‘a), the Holy Prophet (S) is reported to have said:

ثَلاَثٌ کَفَّارَاتٌ: إِفْشَاءُ

السَّلاَمِ، وَإِطْعَامُ الطَّعَامِ، وَالصَّلاَةُ بِاللَّیْلِ وَالنَّاسُ نِیَامٌ.

Three characteristics make

amends for sins: (1) offering salutation, (2) feeding the needy, (3) offering

prayers at night when others are asleep.⁽³⁾

(2) The Holy Imams (‘a) emphasized amity as a feature of true believers. In other words, a true believer must build

good relations with all people and endear himself to them so that he is a well-liked person. Naturally, such amity is achievable only through wide-ranging relations and associations with others.

Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) quoted the Holy Prophet (S) as saying:

أَفْضَلُکُمْ أَحْسَنُکُمْ

أَخْلاَقاً، الْمُوَطَّأُونَ أَکْنَافاً، الَّذِینَ یَأْلَفُونَ وَیُؤْلَفُونَ،

وَتُوطَأُ رِحَالُهُمْ.

The best of you are those

with the best manners, whose ‘sides are generously prepared’,⁽¹⁾

who have close relationships with people and people have close relationships

with them, and whose carpets are always trodden.⁽²⁾

(3) Traditions have emphasized the forbidding of alienation and rupture of relations between Muslims. Islam believes it is necessary to keep the door wide open in social relations even if one party is unhappy. Things forbidden in Islam have grave consequences.

Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have said:

لاَ خَیْرِ فِی الْمُهَاجَرَةِ.

There is no good in breaking

away (from others).⁽³⁾

Imam al-Baqir (‘a) is reported as saying:

مَا

مِنْ مُؤْمِنَیْنِ اهْتَجَرَا فَوْقَ ثَلاَثٍ إِلاَّ وَبَرِئْتُ مِنْهُمَا فِی

الثَّالِثَةِ.

I will definitely disavow

any pair of believers who forsake each other for more than three days.

He was asked, “The wronging party deserves this, but why does this include the wronged party, too?”

The Imam (‘a) answered:

مَا بَالُ الْمَظْلُومِ لاَ یَصِیرُ

إِلَی الظَّالِمِ فَیَقُولُ: <أَنَا الظَّالِمُ.> حَتَّی یَصْطَلِحَا؟

Why did the wronged party

not go to the wronging party and claim that he was the wronging party so that

they would make peace?⁽¹⁾

Al-Qasim ibn al-Rabi` has reported that he heard Imam al-Sadiq (‘a), in his instruction to al-Mufazzal, saying:

لاَ یَفْتَرِقُ رَجُلاَنِ عَلَی

الْهِجْرَانِ إِلاَّ اسْتَوْجَبَ أَحَدُهُمَا الْبَرَاءَةَ وَاللَّعْنَةَ،

وَرُبَّمَا اسْتَحَقَّ ذَلِکَ کِلاَهُمَا.

Whenever two men leave one

another and become estranged, one of them must be worth disavowal and curse,

and sometimes both parties are worthy of it.

Mu`attab said, “May Allah make me your sacrifice. One may curse the wronging party, but why is the wronged party then cursed, too?”

The Imam (`a) answered:

لأَِنَّهُ لاَ یَدْعُو أَخَاهُ

إِلَی صِلَتِهِ، وَلاَ یَتَغَامَسُ لَهُ مِنْ کَلاَمِهِ. سَمِعْتُ أَبِی

عَلَیْهِ السَّلاَمُ یَقُولُ: إِذَا تَنَازَعَ اثْنَانِ فَعَازَّ أَحَدُهُمَا

الآخَرُ فَلْیَرْجِعِ الْمَظْلُومُ إِلَی صَاحِبِهِ حَتَّی یَقُولَ لِصَاحِبِهِ:

<أَیْ أَخِی، أَنَا الظَّالِمُ.> حَتَّی یَقْطَعَ الْهِجْرَانُ بَیْنَهُ

وَبَیْنَ صَاحِبِهِ، فَإِنَّ اللهَ تَبَارَکَ وَتَعَالَی حَکَمٌ عَدْلٌ یَأْخُذُ

لِلْمَظْلُومِ مِنَ الظَّالِمِ.

The wronged party may also

be cursed because he does not call the other party to reconcile…I heard my

father saying, “If two (of our Shi`ah) disagree with each other and one of

them prevails over the other, the wronged party should come to the other and

confess that he was wrong, so that their disagreement will come to an end.

Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, is surely a fair Judge and will certainly judge

for the benefit of the wronged party.”⁽²⁾

Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) has also reported on the authority of his father that the Holy Prophet (S) said:

أَیُّمَا مُسْلِمَیْنِ تَهَاجَرَا

فَمَکَثَا ثَلاَثاً لاَ یَصْطَلِحَانِ إِلاَّ کَانَا خَارِجَیْنِ مِنَ

الإِسْلاَمِ، وَلَمْ یَکُنْ بَیْنَهُمَا وِلاَیَةٌ، فَأَیُّهُمَا سَبَقَ إِلَی

کَلاَمِ أَخِیهِ کَانَ السَّابِقَ إِلَی الْجَنَّةِ یَوْمَ الْحِسَابِ.

Verily, any two Muslims that

become estranged and refrain from reconciliation within three days will have

certainly abandoned the religion of Islam, and their brotherhood-in-faith

will be canceled. Hence, the party who precedes the other in making peace

will also precede the other in entering Paradise.⁽¹⁾

(5) Traditions have also highlighted the necessity of accepting the apologies of others. Hence, a true believer must accept the apology of those who had caused him pain. This trait reflects the significance of maintaining good social relations, blocking the door in the face of all sorts of rupture of relations, and eradicating the traces of the causes and effects of such dispute.

Exceptions

Point

Islam has determined a set of exceptions in this field so that this concept is complete and the significance of openness emphasized.

In our discussion of the fourth aspect of the Islamic concept

of social relations, we referred to some of these exceptions under general social relations. Hereinafter, we will refer to these exceptions generally by summing them in the following four points:

(1) Avoidance of situations that cause one to lose one’s reputation

Relations with people with bad reputations and suspicion must be avoided, because they injure the reputations of the person who wants to build relations with them. Examples of such relations are the following:

A. Relationships that bring accusations of sinful behavior or committing of illegal deeds, such as associations with certain women—and even certain men and children, are the first example. The same is applicable to associations with certain rich and luxury-loving people. Accusations can arise from the origin, form, or nature of these relations. Some traditions forbid such associations.

For instance, Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) has reported on the authority of his fathers that the Holy Prophet (S) said:

ثَلاَثَةٌ مُجَالَسَتُهُمْ تُمِیتُ

الْقَلْبَ: الْجُلُوسُ مَعَ الأَنْذَالِ، وَالْحَدِیثُ مَعَ النِّسَاءِ،

وَالْجُلُوسُ مَعَ الأَغْنِیَاءِ.

Association with the

following three categories of people desensitizes hearts: (1) sitting

with dishonest or unscrupulous people, (2) talking to women, and (3) sitting

with the rich.⁽¹⁾

Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) has also reported Imam `Ali the Commander of the Faithful (‘a) as saying:

مَنْ عَرَّضَ نَفْسَهُ

لِلتُّهْمَةِ فَلاَ یَلُومَنَّ مَنْ أَسَاءَ بِهِ الظَّنَّ، وَمَنْ کَتَمَ سِرَّهُ

کَانَتِ الْخِیَرَةُ فِی یَدِهِ.

Whoever

engages himself in situations of accusation should not blame those who have a

bad idea about him.

Whoever conceals his secrets will have public decisions in his hand.⁽¹⁾

Imam al-Riza (‘a) is reported to have quoted Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) as saying:

إِتَّقُوا مَوَاقِفَ الرَّیْبِ،

وَلاَ یَقِفِنَّ أَحَدُکُمْ مَعَ أُمِّهِ فِی الطَّرِیقِ، فَإِنَّهُ لَیْسَ

کُلُّ أَحَدٍ یَعْرِفُهَا.

Avoid situations that

bring about ill reputation. Avoid stopping even with your mothers in public places,

because not everyone knows that this woman is your mother.⁽²⁾

B. Another example is relations that arouse accusations of doctrinal, ideological, or political deviation, such as accompanying, sitting with, studying under, and receiving from people who are heretical or aberrant. Some traditions warn against this.

Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) said:

لاَ تَصْحَبُوا أَهْلَ الْبِدَعِ،

وَلاَ تُجَالِسُوهُمْ فَتَکُونُوا عِنْدَ النَّاسِ کَوَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمْ. وَقَالَ

رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّی اللهُ عَلَیْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ: الْمَرْءُ عَلَی دِینِ

خَلِیلِهِ وَقَرِینِهِ.

Do not accompany heretics

and do not participate in their sessions, lest people equate you with them.

The Messenger of Allah (S) has said, “Man follows the religion of his friend

and companion.”⁽³⁾

(2) Keeping away from wicked associates

It is advisable to keep away from wicked individuals known for corruptive behavior. By accompanying such individuals, nothing is gained except harm and grievance. Besides, one is influenced by the company one keeps.

Imam `Ali the Commander of the Faithful (‘a) is reported to have quoted the Holy Prophet (S) as saying:

أُنْظُرُوا

مَنْ تُحَادِثُونَ، فَإِنَّهُ لَیْسَ مِنْ أَحَدٍ یَنْزِلُ بِهِ الْمَوْتُ

إِلاَّ مُثِّلَ لَهُ أَصْحَابُهُ إِلَی اللهِ، فَإِنْ کَانُوا خِیَاراً

فَخِیَاراً، وَإِنْ کَانُوا شِرَاراً فَشِرَاراً، وَلَیْسَ أَحَدٌ یَمُوتُ

إِلاَّ تُمُثِّلْتُ لَهُ عِنْدَ مَوْتِهِ.

Inspect those with whom you exchange discourses.

At the hour of death, Almighty Allah will display everyone’s companions before

him. If righteous was their companion, they will be shown righteousness, but

if evil was their companion, they will be shown evil. At the hour of everyone’s

death, I will be shown to him, too.⁽¹⁾

Imam al-Riza (‘a) is reported to have said:

قَالَ عِیسَی عَلَیْهِ السَّلاَمُ:

إِنَّ صَاحِبَ الشَّرِّ یُعْدِی، وَقَرِینُ السُّوءِ یُرْدِی، فَانْظُرْ مَنْ

تُقَارِنُ.

Jesus (‘a)

said: Truly, an evil companion infects and a wicked associate leads to

perdition. So, inspect those whom you keep company with.⁽²⁾

On the other hand, associations with such corrupt individuals may be acceptable when the purpose is to guide them to the truth or to achieve a private legal interest that is intended for a worldly or religious benefit.

Wicked associates mentioned in traditions by descriptions or qualities are the following:

A. Those morally deviated from the path of religion, such as corrupt (sinful) people, liars, those who break off family ties, stingy people, cowards, and foolish people.

Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) has reported the following:

کَانَ

أَمِیرُ الْمُؤْمِنِینَ إِذَا صَعِدَ الْمِنْبَرَ قَالَ: یَنْبَغِی لِلْمُسْلِمِ

أَنْ یَتَجَنَّبَ مُؤَاخَاةَ ثَلاَثَةٍ: الْمَاجِنِ الْفَاجِرِ، وَالأَحْمَقِ،

وَالْکَذَّابِ. فَأَمَّا الْمَاجِنُ الْفَاجِرُ فَیُزَیِّنُ لَکَ فِعْلَهُ،

وَیُحِبُّ أَنْ تَکُونَ مِثْلَهُ، وَلاَ یُعِینُکَ عَلَی أَمْرِ دِینِکَ

وَمَعَادِکَ، وَمُقَارَبَتُهُ جَفَاءٌ وَقَسْوَةٌ، وَمَدْخَلُهُ وَمَخْرَجُهُ

عَارٌ عَلَیْکَ. وَأَمَّا الأَحْمَقُ فَإِنَّهُ لاَ یُشِیرُ عَلَیْکَ بِخَیْرٍ،

وَلاَ یُرْجَی لِصَرْفِ السُّوءِ عَنْکَ وَلَوْ أَجْهَدَ نَفْسَهُ، وَرُبَّمَا

أَرَادَ مَنْفَعَتَکَ فَضَرَّکَ، فَمَوْتُهُ خَیْرٌ مِنْ حَیَاتِهِ، وَسُکُوتُهُ

خَیْرٌ مِنْ نُطْقِهِ، وَبُعْدُهُ خَیْرٌ مِنْ قُرْبِهِ. وَأَمَّا الْکَذَّابُ

فَإِنَّهُ لاَ یُهْنِئُکَ مَعَهُ عَیْشٌ. یَنْقِلُ حَدِیثَکَ وَیَنْقِلُ

إِلَیْکَ الْحَدِیثَ. کُلَّمَا أَفْنَی أُحْدُوثَةً مَطَّهَا بِأُخْرَی

مِثْلِهَا، حَتَّی إِنَّهُ یُحَدِّثُ بِالصِّدْقِ فَمَا یُصَدَّقُ، وَیُفَرِّقُ

بَیْنَ النَّاسِ بِالْعَدَاوَةِ فَیُنْبِتُ السَّخَائِمَ فِی الصُّدُورِ.

فَاتَّقُوا اللهَ وَانْظُرُوا لأَِنْفُسِکُمْ.

Whenever

he ascended the minbar (to deliver a speech), Imam `Ali (‘a) would

say, “A Muslim should avoid befriending three categories of people: the

sinful, the foolish, and the liars. The sinful shows you his evil acts as

good deeds, wants you to be like him, and does not assist you in the affairs

of your religion and your life to come. It is offensive and arduous to

befriend such an individual whose visit to you brings you dishonor. The

foolish can neither advise you nor save you from any problem even if he does

his best. Moreover, he may harm you although he intends to benefit you. His

death is better than his life, his silence is better than his words, and his

remoteness is better than his closeness. The liar deprives you of any pleasurable

association. He tells others of your conduct and relates the conduct of others

to you. Whenever he finishes telling one lie, he invents another so much so

that even his true statements seem untrue. He sows enmity between people to

plant malice in their hearts. Fear Allah and consider your own good.⁽¹⁾

B. The socially ignoble and lowly, mentally and culturally retarded, such as the insane, the idiot, the mean, the timorous, the vile, the uncivilized, and the illegitimate.

`Ammar ibn Musa has reported that Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) advised him saying:

یَا عَمَّارُ، إِنْ کُنْتَ تُحِبُّ

أَنْ تَسْتَتِبَّ لَکَ النِّعْمَةُ، وَتَکْمُلَ لَکَ الْمُرُوءَةُ، وَتَصْلُحَ

لَکَ الْمَعِیشَةُ فَلاَ تُشَارِکِ الْعَبِیدَ وَالسِّفْلَةَ فِی أَمْرِکَ،

فَإِنَّهُمْ إِنِ ائْتَمَنْتَهُمْ خَانُوکَ، وَإِنْ حَدَّثُوکَ کَذَبُوکَ،

وَإِنْ نُکِبْتَ خَذَلُوکَ، وَإِنْ وَعَدُوکَ أَخْلَفُوکَ.

O `Ammar, if you want graces to be poured on you constantly, manliness

to be perfected for you, and livelihood to be stable for you, you must not share

your affairs with servants and the lowly. If you entrust them with anything,

they will betray you; if they speak to you, they will lie to you; if you are

exposed to a misfortune, they will let you down; and if they promise you

anything, they will fail to fulfill it.

`Ammar ibn Musa has also reported Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) as saying:

حُبُّ الأَبْرَارِ لِلأَبْرَارِ

ثَوَابٌ لِلأَبْرَارِ، وَحُبُّ الْفُجَّارِ لِلأَبْرَارِ فَضِیلَةٌ

لِلأَبْرَارِ، وَبُغْضُ الْفُجَّارِ لِلأَبْرَارِ زَیْنٌ لِلأَبْرَارِ، وَبُغْضُ

الأَبْرَارِ لِلْفُجَّارِ خِزْیٌ عَلَی الْفُجَّارِ.

The love of the righteous

for the righteous is a reward for the righteous. The love of the sinful for

the righteous is a merit for the righteous. The hatred of the sinful for the

righteous is adornment for the righteous. The hatred of the righteous for the

sinful is disgrace for the sinful.⁽¹⁾

The Holy Prophet (S) is reported to have said:

خَمْسَةٌ

یُجْتَنَبُونَ عَلَی کُلِّ حَالٍ: الْمَجْذُومُ وَالأَبْرَصُ وَالْمَجْنُونُ

وَوِلْدُ الزِّنَی وَالأَعْرَابِیُّ.

The following five categories of people must be avoided

under all circumstances: (1) the leprous, (2) the mycobacterial,⁽¹⁾

(3) the insane, (4) the illegitimately born, and (5) the uncivilized.⁽²⁾

(3) Keeping Away from Those of Forbidden Occupations

Traditions have also warned against associating with people who work in forbidden occupations and corrupt jobs and mock at religious laws and the manners of Islam, such as those mentioned in the following traditions:

Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) has reported his fathers (‘a) as saying:

سِتَّةٌ لاَ یُسَلَّمُ عَلَیْهِمْ:

الْیَهُودِیُّ وَالنَّصْرَانِیُّ وَالرَّجُلُ عَلَی غَائِطِهِ، وَعَلَی

مَوَائِدِ الْخَمْرِ، وَعَلَی الشَّاعِرِ الَّذِی یَقْذِفُ الْمُحْصَنَاتِ،

وَعَلَی الْمُتَفَکِّهِینَ بِسَبِّ الأُمَّهَاتِ.

The following six

categories of people must not be saluted: (1) the Jews, (2) the Nazerites,

(3) men while discharging excrement, (4) men sitting at tables where wine is

served, (5) poets who traduce honorable women, and (6) those who mock the mothers

of other people.⁽³⁾

Seemingly, salutation in the previous tradition means the traditional salutation of Islam (i.e. salam). However, to salute these categories of people with other forms of greetings (such as good morning and the like) is permissible.

Similarly, al-Asbagh ibn Nubatah has reported Imam `Ali the Commander of the Faithful (‘a) as saying:

سِتَّةٌ لاَ یَنْبَغِی أَنْ

یُسَلَّمَ عَلَیْهِمْ: الْیَهُودُ وَالنَّصَارَی، وَأَصْحَابُ النَّرْدِ

وَالشُّطْرَنْجِ، وَأَصْحَابُ الْخَمْرِ وَالْبُرْبُطِ وَالطَّنْبُورِ،

وَالْمُتَفَکِّهُونَ بِسَبِّ الأُمَّهَاتِ، وَالشُّعَرَاءُ.

The following six

categories of people must not be saluted: (1) the Jews and the Nazerites, (2)

those playing backgammon and chess, (3) those addicted to intoxicants, (4)

those playing lutes and mandolins, (4) those who mock the mothers of others,

and (5) poets.⁽¹⁾

Apparently, poets mentioned in the previous traditions are intended to mean exclusively those who traduce honorable women or violate the religious laws and regulations, such as poets who praise tyrannical rulers and corrupt people. This exclusiveness is deduced from the Holy Qur'an that reads:

وَالشُّعَرَاءُ یَتَّبِعُهُمُ الْغَاوُونَ أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّهُمْ فِی کُلِّ وَادٍ یَهِیمُونَ وَأَنَّهُمْ یَقُولُونَ مَا لَا یَفْعَلُونَ إِلَّا الَّذِینَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَذَکَرُوا اللَّهَ کَثِیرًا وَانْتَصَرُوا مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا ظُلِمُوا وَسَیَعْلَمُ الَّذِینَ ظَلَمُوا أَیَّ مُنْقَلَبٍ یَنْقَلِبُونَ

As for poets, the erring

people follow them. Have you not seen how they stray in every valley? And,

how they say that which they do not do, save those who believe and do good

works, and remember Allah much, and vindicate themselves after they have been

wronged. Those who do wrong will come to know by what a great reverse they

will be overturned. (26:224-227)

(4) Keeping Away from Those Afflicted by Infectious Diseases

Other traditions have warned against associating with those afflicted by infectious diseases, as has been noticed in a previously mentioned narration as well as the following one.

Imam al-Sadiq (‘a), in the famous tradition of prohibitions (hadith al-manahi), is reported to has said:

وَکَرِهَ أَنْ یُکَلِّمَ الرَّجُلُ

مَجْذُوماً إِلاَّ أَنْ یَکُونَ بَیْنَهُ وَبَیْنَهُ قَدْرَ ذِرَاعٍ.

It is recommended for men

to speak to a leprous individual from a distance of one arm between them.

He (‘a) is also reported to have said:

فُرَّ مِنَ الْمَجْذُومِ فَرَارَکَ

مِنَ الأَسَدِ.

Flee from the leprous as you

flee from a lion.⁽¹⁾