In continuation of the discussion on the article titled “The Attributes of a Real Shia Muslim Based on Narrations”, we shall point out some other attributes based on narrations here.
(16) The company of the suspicious
Imam Sadiq (a) said: He who sits to the suspicious people is suspicious.
(17) The Nasibi is he who antagonizes the Shia
Imam Sadiq (a) said: The Nasibi is not he who declares antagonism against us; the Prophets household. You cannot meet any person who declares that he hates Mohammed and his family openly. The Nasibi is he who provokes hostility against you while he knows that you support us and disavow our enemies.
He (a) also said: He who gratifies one of our enemies is killing one of our disciples.
(18) The Shia of Ali are atrophied-stomached and dry-lipped
Imam Sadiq (a) said: The Shia of Ali are atrophied-stomached, dry-lipped, and people of compassion, knowledge, and clemency. Their distinctive feature is reverence. Help the beliefs that you embrace by means of piety and diligence.
(19) The Shia of Ali are pale and the thin
Imam Baqir (a) said: O Abu al-Miqdam, the Shia of Ali (a) are only the pale, the thin, and the feeble. Their lips are faded because of worship and their stomachs are atrophied. Their colours are pale and they are white-faced. When night comes upon them, they betake the ground as their bed and the direction of their foreheads. Their eyes are teary, their teardrops are heavy, and their prayers are very much. They recite the Book of Allah. When people are happy, they are grieved.
(20) The marks of the Shia
Imam Ali (a) turned his face to the group who were following him and asked them about their beliefs. We are your Shia, Amir ul-Mu’minin, they answered. He said, But I cannot see the marks of the Shia on your faces. What are the marks of the Shia? asked they. He (a) spoke: The Shia are pale-faced because of staying up at night, atrophied-stomached because of fasting, and dry-lipped because of prayers to Allah. The dust of the submissive covers them.
(21) The Shia of Jafar abstain from the food appetite and work diligently
Imam Sadiq(a) said: The Shia of Jafar are only those who abstain from food and sexual appetites, act diligently, work for the Creator, hope for gaining His reward, and fear His punishment. If you see them, know that they are the Shia of Jafar.
(22) The false embracement of Shiism
Imam Baqir (a) said: O Jabir, do you think that it is sufficient for those who claim to be Shia to say that they cherish us; the Prophet’s household?
By Allah I swear, our Shia are only those who fear and obey Allah. Their signs are modesty, submission, fulfilment of the trust, very much reference to Allah, fasting, offering prayers, piety to (their) parents, aiding the neighbours, especially the poor, the destitute, the indebted, and the orphans, truth, reciting the Quran, and avoiding mentioning people except for praising. In addition, they are the most trustworthy of the people of their tribes.
Jabir said: O son of Allah’s Messenger, we do not know anyone who bears such characters. The Imam (a) said: No, Jabir. Do not misunderstand the matter. It is enough for a man to claim that he loves and follows Ali (a). As a matter of fact, if he claims that he loves the Prophet (s) who is preferable to Ali (a) but he does not follow the Prophet’s traditions and does not act upon his instructions, such claim of love will be definitely useless. Hence, you should fear Allah and work for the cause of obtaining that which He has in possession. There is no relation between Allah and anybody. The most favourable and honourable servants of Allah are the most God-fearing and the most pious.
O Jabir, the only means through which a servant seeks to gain Allah’s favour is obedience to Him. We the Prophets household- do not carry a patent for saving from Hell. Likewise, none of you has a claim against Allah. He who obeys Allah is only our disciple and whoever disobeys Him is our enemy. Loyalty to us cannot be gained except by means of diligent work and piety.
(23) The Shia of Ali meet the needs of each other and love each other
Imam Mohammed bin Ali (a) said: The Shia of Ali (a) are surely those who meet the needs of each other for the sake of (their loyalty to) our leadership, love each other for the sake of our cherishment, and exchange visits for the sake of proclaiming our affairs. They do not oppress when they are enraged and do not exaggerate when they are pleased. They are blessings for their neighbours and peace for their associates.
(24) The Shia of Ali are pale, thin, and emaciated
Imam Baqir (a) said to him: O Abu al-Miqdam, the Shia of Ali (a) are the pale, the thin, and the emaciated. Their lips are dry, their stomachs are atrophied, and their colours are faded.
(25) The Shia of Ali are those whose voices do not exceed their hearings
The same previous series of narration that Imam Abu Jafar (a) said to Jabir: O Jabir, the Shia of Ali (a) are only those whose voices do not exceed their hearings and whose detestation does not exceed their bodies. They do not praise those who abhor us, regard those who hate us, or associate with those who revile at us. The true Shia of Ali (a) does not bark like dogs, covet like craws, or beg people openly even if they starve. Their living is hardly sufficient. Their dwellings are roving. When they are present, they are not recognized. When they are absent, they are not missed. When they are ailed, nobody visits them. When they die, nobody participates in their funeral ceremonies. They exchange visits in their graves.
Jabir asked: Where can I find such people?
The Imam (a) answered: You will find them living in the outskirts and among the marts. They are the intended in Allah’s saying: They are humble towards the believers and dignified to the unbelievers.(1)
(26) The Shia say only the truth
Imam Sadiq (a) asked him about the number of Shia in Kufa. He answered: They are fifty thousand. The Imam (a) said: Do you hope they were less? He went on saying until he said: Do you hope they were twenty individuals? By Allah I swear, I wish they were twenty-five individuals provided that they acknowledge our beliefs and say about us nothing but the truth.
(27) The sweetness of faith is in the Shia’s chests
Imam Sadiq (a) O Abu Abdullah, I noticed that any individual Shia speaks out all that he hides in one session so that his trend would be easily known. Why is that? The Imam (a) answered: This is because of the sweetness of faith that the Shia carry in their chests. For that sweetness, they show the hidden all at once.
(28) The best of the Shia are the most knowledgeable
Ibn Abi Umair that one of the Imams (a) said: Some of you offer more prayers than others do. Some perform the hajj more often than others do. Some give alms more than others do. Some observe fasting more than others do. The best of you, however, are the most knowledgeable.
(29) The Shia’s concern, and their enemy’s concern
Imam Sadiq(a) said: We are a truthful household. Your main concern is the affairs of your religion. The main concern of your enemies is you. Their hearts are full of enmity against you. They distort the words that they hear from you, consider other things as equal to you, and accuse you of such things out of slander. This is surely a sufficient act of disobedience in the sight of Allah.
(30) The Shia are saved from adultery
Imam Sadiq (a) said: On the Day of Resurrection, all the creatures will be called with the names of their mothers. We, as well as our Shia, are not bound by this act, because we are saved from adultery.
(31) The large numbers of the Shias enemies
Al-Hasan bin Ahmed from his father that Abdullah bin Jibilla al-Kinani related: A fish was hanging down my hand when I met Abu al-Hasan Musa bin Jafar (a). He asked me to throw that fish and said:
I do not like for the noblemen to carry cheap things themselves.
He then added: O Shia, your enemies are numerous. All people antagonized you. Hence, you should keep a good appearance before them as much as possible.
(32) The Shiite behaves nicely and provides the grand matter
Imam Sadiq(a) said: Our Shia are those who prefer what they favour, withhold what they find ugly, behave nicely, and provide the grand matter out of their desire for the mercy of the Magnificent Allah. Those are from, belong to, and accompany us wherever we are.
(33) The qualities of the Shia
Al-Asbagh bin Nubata related: We were gathering when Amir ul-Mu’minin (a) went out and asked about the reason of our gathering. We are your Shia, Amir ul-Mu’minin, we answered. He said, But I cannot see the marks of the Shia on your faces. What are the marks of the Shia? asked we. He (a) spoke:
The Shia are pale-faced because of staying up at night for offering prayers, bleary-eyed because of fear of Allah, and dry-lipped because of fasting. The dust of the submissive covers them.
(34) As-Sadiq (a) describes the Shia
My father, Allah may have mercy upon him, narrated to us from Sad bin Abdullah from Abu Bassir related: I asked Imam Sadiq(a): May Allah make me your sacrifice. Describe the Shia for me.
He said: Our Shia are only those whose voices do not exceed their hearings and whose detestation does not exceed their bodies. They do not burden others with their loads. They do not ask anybody other than their friends even if they starve. Our Shia does not bark like dogs or covet like crawls. Our Shia’s livings are hardly sufficient and their dwellings are roving. Our Shias are those who dedicate a definite right to their wealth. They help each other, do not worry about death, and exchange visits in their graves.
I asked: Where can I find such people?
He (a) answered: You will find them living in the outskirts and among the marts. They are the intended in Allah’s saying: They are humble towards the believers and dignified to the unbelievers. (2)
Continue in the article: ( The Attributes of a Real Shia Muslim Based on Narrations (3) )
NOTES:
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1. Qur’an 5:54.
2. Ibid
