When a person stands up for prayers
Imam Ali (A.S) said: “When a person stands up for prayers, Iblis approaches him and looks at him with envy and jealousy, as he sees the Mercy of Allah encompassing the person.”
Biharul Anwar, Volume 82, Page 207
Pray for Those who Misbehave out of Ignorance
It is narrated that when in the War of Ohud, the Prophet of Islam (PBUH) lost 4 of his teeth as well as injuring his face, the companions told him:
Why don’t you curse those who caused your injuries? The Prophet replied: I have not come for cursing and damning, I have been sent to pray and ask for mercy;
then he prayed for those who caused injuries to him by saying: Please Allah (SWT), guide these people out of their ignorance.
Taken from: Beharul Anwaar, Vol. 21, Page 20.
Worshipping the world
Regarding the relation between some people and the world, the Prophet of Islam (PBUH) said: They are the slaves and worshippers of money [1].
Imam Hussein (A.S) in his first sermon in Karbala said: The people are the slaves of the world and worship it [2].
These words indicate that how far the relation between human being and the material things can go. Perhaps some people may say: Not all people are like this, meaning there are people who are not slaves of the world.
It is narrated that Imam Sadiq (A.S) told Ishaq ibn Qaleb: O, Eshaq; how many people do you think will be included in the description of Ayah 58 of Surah Al-Tawbah? The Ayah said:
If you give them money and the world, they will be satisfied with you but if you do not do that, they will be your enemies and will stay away from you. In another words if you chant the slogan of the world, they will follow you otherwise they will be your enemies. Eshaq said: I did not say anything and remained silent.
Imam Sadiq (A.S) said: More than two thirds of the people are those whose hearts are filled with the love of the world [3].
Explanations by: Ayatollah Sheikh Mojtaba Tehrani
Source: shafaqna.com
The rewards for making a believer happy
The following narrations have been selected from the book of “Thawabul Aamaal wa Eqabul Aamaal” by “Sheikh Sadooq”. Abu Hamzah narrated from Imam Sadiq (A.S): Whoever makes a believer happy, God will make that person happy on the Day of Judgment and he/she will be told: Request whatever you like because you liked to make happy the friends of Allah (SWT) and then God will grant more than it is requested, beyond any imagination.
It is narrated from Imam Sadiq (A.S): A person who resolves the problem of a believer, on the Day of Judgment, God will resolve his/her problems and will raise that person from the grave with happiness.
Sadeer Sairafi narrated a long narration (Hadith) from Imam Sadiq (A.S) who said: When a believer is raised from the grave, a companion will also will be raised with him/her and lead in front, whenever that believer faces a difficulty on the Day of Judgment, the companion will say:
Do not worry, I give you the glad tidings from God. This will continue till that person attends before the Almighty where God will make it easy for him/her and orders that person be taken to paradise whilst the companion will be in front and the believer will say: Mercy of God be on you, you were a good companion and companied me all this way, now tell me who are you?
The companion will reply: I am that happiness you brought for your brother in religion, God created me from that happiness to make you happy.
Source: shafaqna.com
The Tale of a Seeker of the World
Bin Babawiyah quotes through a reliable source that Imam Jafar Sadiq (A.S) has told about a person who lived in the olden days. The man sought to find livelihood through fair means. He failed. He tried illegitimate means and even then he didn’t succeed. Satan came to him and told him that he would suggest a stratagem to the man to succeed in his efforts. The person agreed. Satan suggested to him to float a new religion. Encourage people to join its ranks. The man acted on the suggestion and soon became very rich.
One day the man thought that he had committed the foulest of deeds. He felt that he had led lots of people astray. He realized that any amount of penitence would not get him a pardon unless he corrected the people who had left the right path because of him. He started telling people that the faith propagated by him was a farce and they should abandon it.
But the idea was engrained in their minds and they told him that his faith was authentic and that he was lying to them. He could not change even a single person. In desperation he went to the forest and tied himself in a heavy chain. He resolved that unless Allah forgave him for his sin he would not free himself.
Allah sent a Revelation to the Prophet (PBUH) of the time that the person must be informed that even if his body goes to shreds repenting his sin, his penitence would not be accepted! The only way for his pardon was through reforming all the persons who had been led away from the right path by him!
Source: .imamreza.net
Description of God by Imam Hadi
There is no doubt that the Divine Names and attributes are special and it is necessary to know them correctly and properly. Imam Hadi (A.S) said: Truly, God cannot be described except the way the Almighty described it. How can God be described when the senses are unable to imagine or understand the Supreme Being that cannot be seen?
The Divine Being despite the complete and full presence is remote and yet is near with all the remoteness; has created circumstance and personality but has no circumstance or personality; has created the place but has no place. God has no place or circumstance, the Almighty is a single unique being, God’s magnificence is distinct and the Divine Names are absolutely pure and clean [1].
Note: [1] Beharul Anwaar, Vol.4, Page 303.
Source: shafaqna.com
Do not blame the world
It is narrated from the Prophet of Islam (PBUH) who said: If a person tells the world: May God make your face ugly, the world will reply: God will make the face of sinners ugly [1].
In another narration, the prophet (PBUH) said: Do not insult the world! Why do you insult the world? The world is a tame mean for a believer and will benefit him/her whilst removing evil from them. For the sake of the world, the benefits are gained and harms are removed, when a human being says: Curse of God on the world! The world will reply:
Curse of God is on a person who uses me as a mean to sin! Can a person who take a knife and kill someone say, may God curse this knife? The knife also will reply: May God curse you that by using me, you killed an innocent person [2]. Therefore the world can help to solve the problems relating to the life of hereafter but due to human’s love of the world, this benefit is lost and cannot be of any use.
The heartfelt attachment to the materialistic pleasures will lead to wrongful utilization of the world and with the use of the sharp knife of materialism; the life of hereafter will be destroyed [3].
Notes:
[1] Beharul Anwaar, Vol.74, Page 173.
[2] As above, Page 180.
[3] Rasa’el-e-Bandegy (Farsi Edition) by Ayatollah Sheikh Mojtaba Tehrani, Page 117.
Source: shafaqna.com
How does Satan influence our thoughts?
Before we can investigate the influence of Satan on our thoughts, we must gain an understanding of who Satan is.
Lexicographers differ over the linguistic root of the word shaytan (satan). The strongest opinion states that it comes from “shatana” meaning “to be far.” As it is known, shaytan in ‘Arabic, is a common noun, and can therefore be applied to any of a number of beings. However, the archetypical satan—the leader of them all—is known in Arabic as Iblis.[i]
Satan is a member of the class of beings called jinn. Like all jinn, he can transform himself into various forms, sometimes appearing as a man, sometimes as an animal. The only limitation placed on him is that he cannot manifest himself as a prophet or Imam. It is mainly through these transformations that Satan misguides people. At watershed moments in a person’s life, he appears as a well-wishing advisor and lays the groundwork for his destruction.
Salman al-Farisi narrates that Imam ‘Ali (ع) said, “The old man who was the first to pledge his allegiance to Abu Bakr and whose forehead was calloused from extensive prostrations, was the accursed Satan.”
However, Satan does not always employ this method. He exists in an intermediate state between the material and the immaterial realms. For this reason, he cannot directly affect the immaterial spirit of the human being. Rather, he infiltrates a person’s thoughts by means of one aspect of the human soul called al-nafs al-ammarah (the lower soul). This is the animalistic aspect of the soul, that can be transformed into al-nafs al-mutma’innah (the higher soul) through training and enhancement. It is through temptation and by showing the lower soul manifestations of what it desires that Satan paves the way to misguide man. For this reason, Satan is only a part of the cause of human misguidance.
These manifestations take on different forms, yet they all conform to what the lower soul desires:
1. The beautification of ugly deeds: By making ugly actions appear beautiful, Satan effectively strips the otherwise inherent ugliness of sin and mitigates the societal taboo associated with sin in such a way that man easily falls into the trap of sin. This phenomenon can be witnessed in a person who rationalizes his wrong actions.
2. False promises: Through false promises and unattainable hopes, Satan renders man heedless of the Hereafter, death, and even Allah (awj). Such a person becomes a slave to his desires and is prepared to go to any lengths to attain the attainable, even if it means sinning against Allah (awj).
3. Fear: Satan scares man with thoughts of the future, compelling him to accumulate wealth, flee from jihad, aid the unjust, etc.
[i] Iblis will be denoted as Satan with a capital ‘s.’ When satan as a common noun is intended, it will be spelled with a lower case ‘s.’
Is there any special importance in roosters’ crow?
Based on some Quranic verses, all creatures of the world declare the praises and glory of Allah. The Holy Quran says, “All that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth glorifieth Allah, the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One, the Mighty, the Wise.”[1]
In another verse, the Quran says, “The seven heavens declare His glory and the earth (too), and those who are in them; and there is not a single thing but glorifies Him with His praise, but you do not understand their glorification; surely He is Forbearing, Forgiving.”[2]
Animals including roosters are not an exception to this rule. In fact, in some traditions, special features have been mentioned for roosters. According to these narrations, a rooster’s crow is its recital and supplication.[3]
Luqman is said to have advised his son as such:
“یا بنىّ لا تکن اعجز من هذا الدّیک یصوت بالاسحار و انت نائم علی فراشک”
“My son, do not be weaker than the rooster which crows at dawn while you are sleeping in your bed.”[4]
In some traditions, the roosters’ crowing has been translated as “roosters’ utterance”. The Imam (a.s.) says, “The rooster utters: ‘Remember God, O’ the neglectful ones’.”[5]
Thus, it is an indisputable and accepted fact that all creatures praise and glorify God, the Almighty.
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[1] – Al-Jumu’ah: 1
[2] – Al-Isra: 44
[3] – Vide: Kulayni, Muhammad bin Ya’qub, Al-Kafi, vol.6, p.549, Dar al-Kutub al-Islamiyah, Tehran, 1986.
[4] – Husseini Shah Abdul Azimi, Hussein bin Ahmed, Tafsir Ithna ‘Ashari, vol.2, p.38, Meeqat Publication, Tehran, 1984.
[5] – Majlesi, Muhammad Baqir, Behar al-Anwar, Vol.14, p.412, Dar al-Wafa, Beirut,1404 A.H.
What are the plans and goals of Shaytan?
In verses 118-120 of surah Nisa’, the Quran points to the plans of Shaytan. When Allah (swt) drove Shaytan away from His grace, he swore to put several plans into action:
1- To misguide man (those who accept his guardianship) by making him busy with far and hard to reach wishes.
2- To invite them to superstitious and innovative acts
3- To cause them to bring about change in Allah’s creation through deceptive acts, and by replacing the godly nature embedded in them with bad and ugly qualities.
In these verses, Allah (swt) warns that following such a being (Shaytan) will certainly entail great loss. “…و من یتخذ الشیطان ولیاً من دون الله فقد خسر خسراناً مبیناً”.[1] (…Whoever takes Satan as a guardian instead of Allah has certainly incurred a manifest loss). Also, do know that Shaytan’s vows are nothing more than lies, the pleasurable things he offers are only like that on the outside, while in reality and on the inside, they are nothing but misery and decline.[2]
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[1] The Holy Quran, Surah Nisa:119.
[2] Bahrampour, AbolFazl, Nasime Hayat, pp. 187-188.