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Concerning al‑Salat al‑Wusta
As to the noontime prayer mentioned in the counsel of the Noblest Messenger, may God bless him and his Household, it refers to the nawafil accompanying the noon prayer, as made explicit in some other traditionsa6 The emphasis on these nawafil is either for the reason of their own particular importance or for the reason of their association with the `middle prayer' and for their being the cause of their completion and acceptance.
Or, perhaps, that which is meant is the (obligatory) noon prayer itself, being the middle prayer for its falling in middle of the daily prayers, and God, the Exalted, has ordered particular care in its observance in the sacred verse: Be you watchful over the prayers, and the middle prayer; and do you stand obedient to God. (2:238)
The prevailing opinion among the fuqaha', may God be pleased with them, which is also more probable, is that al-salat al‑wusta refers to the noon prayer and has a particular significance among the daily prayers. It is the first prayer that God, the Exalted, prescribed for Adam, the father of the human race, may God's benedictions and blessings be upon our Prophet and his Household and upon him, through Gabrael, may peace be upon him.
Probably, the advice of the Noblest Messenger, may God bless him and his Household, stating, "Be watchful over the noon prayer,"[415] refers to the care to be exercised in the performance of the noon prayer and the observance of its time, not to its mere performance. The same can be inferred from the command (in the above‑mentioned verse) concerning watchfulness over prayer and the noon prayer in particular. In the traditions of the Infallible Ahl al‑Bayt, may peace be upon them, there is very frequent emphasis on the observance of the times of prayers and their performance in their preferred hours. Rather, to delay them beyond their preferred time without any excuse is considered equal to negligence and default, in particular if it becomes a habit. Obviously, if one gives importance to a task, one tries to perform it as soon as and as better as he can. On the contrary, if one considers it trivial and insignificant, he delays it and neglects its performance. And God forbid that one's conduct should lead to detraction in the station of prayer and neglect and negligence in regard to it.
The Messenger of God, may God bless him and his Household, has said concerning one who regards prayer as something trivial that "if he dies with this attitude towards his prayer, he would not be dying on my creed.".[416] At times, absence of due respect for prayer and neglect and negligence in regard to it result in abandoning it altogether. It is natural that if something does not have sufficient worth in one's eyes, he comes to consider it unimportant and forgets about it. The reason that we rarely forget matters pertaining to our mundane affairs, especially those which are important, is that the soul constantly remembers them and attends to them on account of considering them important and because of its extreme love of the mundane.
Of course, such a thing would never be forgotten. If someone promises, for instance, to give you a certain sum of money which is very significant in your opinion, and should you consider him to be true in his promises, you would not forget the promised day. You would impatiently wait far the appointed hour and arrive early at the appointed place with total care and attention. That is because the soul's love for that thing and the significance it has for the soul has made you enchanted with it and you will never regard it with neglect. The same is true of other mundane matters which preoccupy everyone in accordance with his circumstances. But if something were insignificant and worthless in your eyes, even if it were to pass your mind, that would be barely for a moment. Another moment you will forget all about it.
Now we can understand the reason behind our negligence in religious matters. That is because we do not have convinced belief in the Hidden world and the foundations of our faith and certitude are shaky. We have not believed the promise of God and the prophets with our heart and soul. That is why all the Divine prescriptions and religious laws are paltry and unimportant in our eyes. This underrating gradually brings on negligence. This negligence either overpowers us during our life in this world, expelling us totally even from this formal religiosity of ours, or seizes us in the labours and agonies of death.
These fivefold daily prayers, which are a pillar of religion and the firm foundation of faith, and there is nothing in Islam, after faith itself, that may equal them in importance, aside from their inward illumination and their Hidden malakuti forms, which are known to none except God, the Exalted, possess an important aspect: the repeated remembrance of God, with its prescribed rules of etiquette and Divine rites, strengthen man's bonds with God, the Exalted, and the Hidden realms. It creates the habit of submission to God in the heart and strengthens the roots of the sacred tree of Divine unity and monotheism within it so that nothing can ever destroy it. It enables one to succeed in the great Divine ordeal at the outset of the death agony and the terrors that set in on witnessing the first scenes of the Hidden world, so that he attains to a faith that is firmly established and abiding, not temporary and passing, not a faith which is swept off its feet by forgetfulness at the slightest pressure.
Therefore, my dear, beware! Beware! And may God be your helper in this world and the next. Don't be lax in regard to these fivefold daily prayers and don't consider them insignificant. God knows that the persuasions and warnings of the prophets, the awliyd' and the Imams of guidance, may peace be upon them, have been motivated by their love for God's creatures; otherwise they don't stand to gain anything from our faith, nor are our works of any benefit to them.
On the Merits of Reciting the Qur'an
One of the exhortations of the Noblest Messenger, may God bless him and his Household, relates to the recitation of the Qur'an. The merits of reciting and memorizing it, bearing it and adhering to it, teaching it and constantly contemplating upon its meanings and mysteries, are more than can be apprehended by our inadequate understanding, and that which has been transmitted from the Infallible Ahl al‑Bayt, may peace be upon them, cannot be contained within these pages. Therefore, we shall confine ourselves to citing some of their traditions in this regard: In al‑Kafi (al‑Kulayni reports) with his isnad from Abu `Abd Allah, may peace be upon him, that he said: "The Qur'an is a covenant of God with His creatures (or, a directive of God addressed to His creatures). Hence it is the duty of a Muslim to contemplate upon His covenant and read fifty verses of it every day."[417]
In a!‑Kafi (al‑Kulayni reports) with his isnad from al‑Zuhri that he said, "I heard 'Ali ibn al‑Husayn, may peace be upon them, say: `The verses of the Qur'an are treasure troves, and whenever a treasure trove were opened for you, you would want to see what is in it.'[418]
The apparent meaning of these two traditions is that it is desirable to contemplate upon Qur'anic verses and to reflect upon their meanings. Meditating and reflecting upon the unambiguous (muhkam) signs of God and understanding the teaching, wise sayings, and the monotheistic teachings contained in it, is different from interpreting the Qur'an according to one's subjective views (tafsir bi al‑ray), which has been forbidden It is opposed to the practice of the practitioners of ra'y and the followers of deviant creeds, which does not take recourse to the Household of Revelation, whose members are the special addresses of the Divine Scripture. This is something which stands proved in its proper place and any details would not be appropriate for this discussion. In this relation, the following statement of God, the Exalted, is quite sufficient.
What, do they not ponder the Qur'an? Or is it that there are locks upon their hearts? (47: 24)
In traditions there are numerous instances where one is directed to contemplate upon its meanings. Rather, it has been narrated that the Commander of the Faithful, may peace be upon him, said: "There is no benefit in reciting (the Qur'an) without meditating upon it."[419]
(Al‑Kulayni, in al‑Kafi, reports) with his isnad from Abu Ja'far, may peace be upon him, that he said "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and his Household, said: 'One who reads ten verses (of the Qur'an) on a night is not written as one of the negligent (ghafilun), and one who reads fifty verses is written amongst those who remember God (dadkirun). One who reads a hundred is written amongst the obedient (qanitun), and who reads two hundred verses is written amongst the reverent (khashi'un). One who reads three hundred verses is written amongst the successful (fa'izun), and one who reads five hundred is written amongst the diligent (mujathidin). And for one who reads a thousand verses, `quintals' of piety are written for him. A `quintal' consists of fifteen thousand (or fifty thousand) mithqal of gold, and a mithqal of 24 carats, the smallest of which is like the mountain of Uhud and the biggest equal to that which is between the earth and the heavens'”.[420]
Many traditions, which we cannot cite here, speak of the Qur'an assuming a beautiful form (on the Day of Judgement) and interceding on behalf of its people and reciters.[421] And it is mentioned in a tradition that when a believer reads the Qur'an in his youth, the Qur'an enters his blood and flesh, and God shall place him in the ranks of the righteous and noble envoys while the Wan shall be his shield (from the terrors) on the Day of Resurrection. It will say, to God, "O Lord! Every worker has received the wages of his work except the one who worked for me. So deliver to him the best of Thy rewards." Thereupon God, Almighty and Glorious, will clothe him (Le. one who worked in the service of the Qur'an) with two garments of paradise and put the crown of nobility on his head. Then the Qur'an would be asked, "Does that satisfy you?" The Qur'an will answer, "O Lord! I would like him to receive something better than that." Thereupon he would be given Security in his right hand and Eternity in his left, and on entering paradise he would be told: "Read and ascend a degree." Then the Qur'an would be asked: "Have We delivered to him what you wanted? Have We satisfied you." The Qur'an would say, "Yes."[422]
AI‑'Imam al‑Sadiq, may peace be upon him, said: "One who reads the Qur'an a lot and renews the covenant with it while working hard to memorize it will receive a twofold reward for it "[423] From this tradition we come to know that the objective of recitation of the Noble Qur'an is its impact on the depths of the human heart, so that the inner being assumes the form of the Divine scripture and the influence of the Qur'an passes from the level of an acquired skill to that of being. The statement of the imam that the Qur'an enters the flesh and blood of a believer who reads the Qur'an in his youth, is a reference to the point that the form of the Qur'an gets established in the heart in such a way that one's inner being itself becomes the glorious scripture of God and the Praiseworthy Qur'an to an extent commensurate with one's ability and preparedness. Amongst the bearers of the Qur'an there are some whose inner being is the complete reality of the all‑inclusive Divine scripture, and is itself an all inclusive Qur'an and a decisive criterion of truth and falsehood, such as 'Ali ibn Abi Talib, may peace be upon him, and the infallible ones of his pure progeny, who were total embodiments of the sacred Divine verses and the great signs of Allah, being Qur'an thoroughly and completely.
In fact, this is true of all acts of worship (ibadat), and one of the main secrets of worship and the repetitive character of its acts is becoming, to become the reality of worship itself, and the changing of the inner being and the heart into the sacred form of worship. And it is stated in a tradition that 'Ali, may peace be upon him, is the prayer and the fast of the faithful."[424]
Concerning the Effect of Worship on Youth
This impact (of worship) on the heart and the associated inner becoming is better achieved during youth, for a youth's heart is gentle and simple and its purity is greater. Its preoccupations are fewer and is encumbered with fewer conflicts and pressures. Therefore, it is strongly passive and receptive. Every fair and ugly trait enters the youth's heart with greater ease and receptivity and is affected by it more quickly and strongly.
It happens very often that the youth accepts truth or falsehood or something good or evil by mere intercourse with people and without requiring any proof or reasoned argument. Hence it is essential for young people to be watchful of the character of those with whom they associate and keep company and to refrain from bad company, even if they should have a firm faith. Rather, the company of sinful and immoral persons and evildoers is harmful for all classes of people, and no one should be too confident of himself and proud of his faith, morals and conduct. Hence sacred traditions forbid everyone from associating with habitual sinners.[425]
On the Etiquette of Qira'ah
On the whole, the objective of reciting (qira’ah) the Quran is that its form be imprinted on the hearts, its commands and prohibitions make an effect thereon, and its summons take roots therein. This objective cannot be achieved without observing the etiquette of reading. What we mean by etiquette here is not that which is the practice of some reciters (qurra'), whose total concern is vocalization and phonation of words, with the result that one is not only totally made oblivious of the Qur'anic meanings and the necessity of reflection thereupon, recitation itself becomes corrupted and many words are totally distorted out of shape.
This is one of the ruses of Satan, wherewith he keeps the devout person preoccupied throughout his life, making him totally unmindful of the purpose of the revelation of the Qur'an the meaning of its prescriptions and prohibitions, and its summons to true teaching and higher morality. After a fifty years of reciting, the outcome is that, due to affected and overdone phonation, what is read is distorted out of shape, assuming a strange form. Rather, that which is meant here is the etiquette prescribed by the sacred Shari`ah, which mainly and essentially, as mentioned earlier, requires thought and contemplation on the verses and taking lesson there from In the noble al‑Kafi it is reported through a chain of transmission from al‑'Imam al‑Sadiq, may peace be upon him, that he said: Verily, this Qur'an is a minaret of guidance and a lamp in the darkness of the night. Let the exploring eye explore it and open to it its vision for illumination, For, indeed, contemplation is the life of the seeing heart. In the same way as one walks in the darkness with the help of light, one should resort to the Qur'an's guiding light in the darkness of ignorance and error.[426]
In al‑Majalis (al‑Mufid reports) with his isnad from Amir al‑Mu'minin, may peace be upon him, that he said in the course of a long sermon wherein he described the qualities of the Godfearing: " ... And when they (i.e. the God fearing) come across a verse inspiring fear, they attend to it with their hearts and minds and it makes their flesh creep and their hearts quiver, as if they were hearing the roars of the hell and its sighing and wailing. And when they come across a verse inspiring longing (for paradise), they contemplate it with craving and their souls advance towards it eagerly as if it were in front of their eyes"[427]
It is evident that if one were to reflect and meditate on the meanings of the Qur'an, they would make an impact upon the heart and he would gradually attain to the station of the God‑fearing. And should Divine favour assist him, he would advance beyond that station and every one of his members, organs, and faculties would become one of the Divine signs. And perhaps the charm and attraction of the Divine pronouncements would put him beside himself and he would attain to the reality of "Read, and ascend" in this world itself, to the extent that he would hear the Divine Word from its Speaker without any intermediary and attain to that which transcends the imagination of the likes of you and me.
On Sincerity in Reading the Qur’an
A necessary part of the etiquette associated with reading of the Qur'an is sincerity, which is essential from the viewpoint of impact upon the heart, and without which no work has any worth, or, rather, is something void and waste, and a cause of Divine wrath. It is the asset through which the otherworldly stations are attained and is the capital for the trade of the Hereafter. In this connection, too, there is a strong emphasis in the traditions of the Infallible Ahl al‑Bayt, may peace be upon them. Of them is the following narrated by al‑Kulayni, may God be pleased with him: He reports with his isnad from Abu Ja`far, may peace be upon him, that he said: "There are three types of readers of the Qur'an: one who recites the Qur'an making it a merchandize with which to attract kings and treat people in an overbearing manner, one who reads the Qur'an, memorizing its letters but neglecting its prescriptions and rejecting it behind his back. May God not allow such bearers of the Qur'an to increase in number!
Then there is the man who recites the Qur'an using it as a remedy for the malady of his heart. In the company of the Qur'an he keeps awake at night (for worship), fasts through the day, visits mosques for prayer, and foregoes the pleasure of sleep. Thus, for their sake, God, the Almighty and the Omnipotent, averts (natural) calamities, deters the enemies, and sends rain from the sky. But, by God, these are more scarce amongst the reciters of the Qur'an than the philosopher's stone."[428]
In the 'Iqab al‑'a'mal (al‑Shaykh al‑Saduq reports) with his isnad from Abu 'Abd Allah, may peace be upon him,. from his father, from his ancestors, may peace be upon them, that he (i.e. the Prophet, may God bless him and his Household) said: "One who recites the Qur'an to exploit people will arrive on the Day of Resurrection with a skeletal face on which there is no flesh." [429]
(AI‑Shaykh al‑Saduq reports) with his isnad that the Messenger of God, may God bless him and his Household, said: "Whoever learns the Qur'an without acting according to it, preferring the love of the world and its adornments to it, deserves the wrath of God and stands in the category of the Jews and the Christians who cast the scripture of God behind their backs.
"And one who recites the Qur'an for the sake of fame and mundane benefits will meet God on the Day of Resurrection with a skeletal face without flesh and the Qur'an shall strike him on the back of his neck and cast him into hell together with those who are cast in it.
"And one who reads the Qur'an without acting upon it shall be raised blind on the Day of Resurrection. He will say, 'O my Lord, why hast Thou raised me blind, and I was wont to see?' God shall say, 'Even so it is. Our signs came unto thee, and thou didst forget them; and so today thou art forgotten."[430] Then he will be directed towards hell. "And one who reads the Qur'an far the sake of God and to acquire understanding of religion, his reward shall be like the reward of all the angels, prophets and messengers.
"And one who learns the Qur'an for the sake of ostentation, fame, and in order to contend with fools and to humble the learned, seeking mundane benefits therewith, God shall shatter his bones on the Day of Resurrection and no one will face a more terrible punishment in hell than him, and there would be none of the various forms of torture that he will not receive due to severity of God's wrath upon him and His displeasure with him.
"And one who learns the Qur'an and is humble in learning, teaching it to the creatures of God and seeking that which is with God, no one will receive a greater award than him in paradise, nor anyone will have a higher station than him. There is no rank nor degree of highness and elegance which he wilt not attain to its fullest and most sublime extent."[431]
Concerning the Meaning of Tartil
Of the etiquette of reciting the Qur'an, which causes it to be effective upon the soul and which is worthy of being observed by one who recites, is tartil in reading. Tartil, as mentioned in traditions, implies the observance of a moderate pace which is neither fast and hurried, nor slow and sluggish so that words are torn apart from one another.
Muhammad ibn Ya`qab (al‑Kulayni) reports with his isnad from 'Abd Allah ibn Sulayman that he said: "I asked Abu `Abd Allah, may peace be upon him, concerning the statement of God, the Exalted, 'And recite the Quran with tartil' (73:4). He replied, `The Commander of the Faithful, may peace be upon him, has said, "(It means:) Recite it in a clear and distinct manner: neither with impetus like poetry is recited, nor in a slow‑moving manner so that the words are scattered like sand. Read in such a manner as to arouse and startle your callous hearts, and your aim should not be to get to the end of the surah."'[432]
That is, one's aim should not be to finish the reading of the Qur'an in certain days or to quickly finish a surah that one is reading at the moment. Hence one who wants to read the Word of God and remedy his callous heart and cure its diseases with the medicine of the all‑inclusive Divine scripture, and find the way to the attainment of otherworldly stations arid the high degrees of perfection with the guiding light of this shining lamp from the Hidden world and this celestial light of lights, he should prepare the necessary outward and inward means and observe the essential formal and spiritual etiquette‑not like us who, if we read the Qur'an at times, are not only totally neglectful of its meanings and ends, its prescriptions and prohibitions, and its admonitions and exhortations‑as if its verses describing the qualities of hell and its painful chastisements or the qualities of paradise and its bounties are of no concern to us‑but are heedless of its outward etiquette, so much so that‑may God be our refuge‑our attention and presence of mind is greater when reading a story book than when studying the sublime Divine scripture.
It is recommended in a sacred tradition that one should recite the Qur’an in a good voice with a touch of sorrow. [433] Al‑'Imam 'Ali ibn al-Husayn, may peace be upon them, used to recite the Qur'an in such an attractive manner that those who passed by, like the water carriers, would stop and listen, and some were so much moved that they would swoon on listening to it.[434]
As for us, we ruse the Qur'an or the adhan as a means to show off our good voices. Our aim is not to recite the Qur'an and to fulfil this supererogatory duty. In any case, the artifices of the Devil and the carnal self are numerous and they often bring about confusion between the good and the evil and the ugly and the fair. One should seek refuge in God from their deceptions.
Raising The Hands In Prayer And Turning Them
Apparently, the statement of the noble tradition, “Make it your practice to raise your hands during prayer and to turn them,” refers to lifting them at the time of takbirat [i.e. pronouncing “Allahu akbar”] By ‘turning’ them (taqlib) is probably meant the turning of the palms in the direction of the kiblah. Raising the hands at the time of saying the takbirat is one of the mustahabbat.
Or, perhaps, that which is meant in the hadith is the raising of hands at the time of qunut, and that which is meant by turning them is turning the palms upwards towards the sky, in accordance with the fatwa of the fuqaha’ (R) who have considered it mustahabb, although they disagree concerning its basis in the sources (dalil), even though no other basis is needed after the definite practice of the devout who know no other manner of saying the qunut, and the mere raising of hands in whatever manner is not sufficient. In any case, that which is more evident (azhar) is that that which is meant in this sacred tradition is the first probability mentioned.
One should know that the predominant (mashhur) opinion amongst the fuqaha’ (R) is that it is mustahabb to raise one’s hands while saying the takbirat and some of them have held it to be obligatory on the basis of the apparent import (zahir) of certain prescriptions and traditions that have been narrated in regard to the interpretation of the sacred verse,
that the word nahr in the command of God, the Exalted, means the raising of the hands at the time of takbirat.[435] But there are many indications in the traditions, which imply its istihbab, such as the reasons that are mentioned therein, especially in the tradition narrated by al-Fadl ibn Shadhan from Imam al-Rida (A).
In addition to this, the sahih tradition of ‘Ali ibn Ja’far[436] is explicit (nass) on its not being obligatory, and the apparent import (zahir) of these traditions, without taking into account the indications to the contrary, is that it is obligatory. The way to reconcile them is by considering them to imply istihbab by overruling the zahir in the favor of the nass.
And that riwayah, although it exempts others than the imam from raising the hands-and one may claim that apparently it applies to both the imam and the ma’mumun and that it is silent about the prayer offered singly by an individual (furada)-it does not preclude the possibility that the raising of hands be obligatory for all, and the imam’s raising them exempts the ma’mumun from it, in the same way as the qira’ah of the imam exempts others from doing their own qira’ah. On the .basis of this probability, which is the more evident of the probable meanings of the tradition, the objection of some later authorities, which requires taking of the general in a particular sense, is also avoided.
However, the absence of any opinion to this effect and the predominant opinion among early and latter day legists, as well as the inner and external indications leave no room for a debate, and even this much of detail was outside the scope of these pages. In any case, the raising of hands is supererogatory and it is not appropriate for one to omit it as far as possible, especially in a case such as this wherein there are some amongst the ulama who hold it to be obligatory. Accordingly, it is also required by caution in religious matters that one should not omit it.
The Secret Behind The Raising Of The Hands
In any case, the raising of the hands during prayer at the time of every takbirah gives elegance to it, and this is the manner of the prayer of Gabriel (A) and the angels of the seven heavens, as reported in a narration by Asbagh ibn Nubatah from Amir al-Mu’minin,[437] (A). According to a certain citation from the ‘Ilal and the ‘Uyun akhbar al-Rida (A), Imam al-Rida (A) has said, “The reason for raising the hands at takbirah is that it carries a kind of absorption (inqita’), sincere dedication (takhlis), and humility (tadarru’).
Hence God, the Exalted, likes His servant to be totally attentive towards Him at the time of remembering Him and to be humble and sincere. And it is for the reason that one’s attention be focused by the raising of the hands, thereby becoming alert in one’s intent, with a receptive heart,”[438]
This statement accords with that which some gnostics say, that the ‘other’ [than God] is rejected behind one’s back by means of the raising of the hands and the thorns in the path of access to Him are removed, cutting one off from everything else and making one pure and sincere, without a trace of attention towards another, which is shirk in the creed of love, whereat one proceeds to the real spiritual ascent (mi’raj) and commences the voyage towards Allah. This voyage and ascent are not possible without the rejection of the ‘other’ and ‘otherness’ and without freedom from the ego and egoism. Hence, with the sevenfold opening takbirat, all the seven curtains (hujub) of mulk and malakut are removed.
Thus the prayer of the awliya’ is such that they remove a curtain with every takbirah, abandoning the realms associated with these veils, leaving behind the inmates of these habitats, whereafter another curtain is removed for them and their hearts receive yet another conditioned epiphany (tajalli taqyidi). But that does not become an obstacle in their way and it does not engage their attention or preoccupy their hearts. They remove it with yet another takbirah, as if from the inner core of their hearts there arises the song: Allah is greater than that He should manifest Himself with a conditioned manifestation (tajjali), as declared by the mentor and shaykh of the awliya’ and the mukhlasun, the dedicated friend of the All-Beneficent [the Khalil al-Rahman, i.e. the Prophet Abraham (A)] during that journey of gnosis, epiphany and conditioned tajalliyat. Thus the wayfarer towards Allah, the traveler of the path of love, and the dedicated traveler of the road of communion removes one veil after another until he reaches the last takbirah with which he removes the seventh veil and rejects every ‘other’ and ‘otherness,’ declaring, I have turned my face to Him who originated the heavens and the earth. (6:79)
with Abraham, the Khalil. Thereafter, the door is opened for him and lie experiences the majesties of Divine Glory. Thereat he seeks refuge with God and enters in the Name of God, the Exalted. To this refers the noble tradition of Muhammad ibn ‘Ali ibn al-Husayn (R) who reports with his isnad from Abu al-Hasan (A): (Al-Shaykh al-Saduq reports) with his isnad from Abu al-Hasan (A) that he has narrated another reason for it and that is that when the Prophet (S) was carried on his celestial journey, he pierced seven veils (hijab), pronouncing the takbirah at every hi jab, whereby Allah, Almighty and Glorious, enabled him to attain to the ultimate nobility (muntaha al-karamah).[439]
In another hadith nearly the same thing has been narrated from Imam Musa ibn Ja’far[440] (A) except that it is mentioned there that the Messenger of God (S) pronounced the takbirat after the removal of every hijab. This is more in agreement from the viewpoint of gnostic teaching and the mystic way, for a hijab and curtain is removed at every raising of the hands, and a takbirah is pronounced on the manifestation of each of the lights of nobility. And since that is a conditioned light from among the hijabs of light, it is removed with the raising of the two hands and cast away until the tajalli becomes absolute and. the ultimate nobility (muntaha al-karamah), which is the ultimate goal. of the awliya’, is attained. Hence, the earlier tradition can be interpreted in the light of the second one.
Whatever the case may be, we are unable to understand these things, to say nothing of epiphany (shuhud) and communion (wasul). But what is worse and more unfortunate for us is that we also deny all spiritual stations and degrees and consider the celestial ascensions (mi’raj) of the awliya’ and the prayers of the pure ones like those of our own, regarding their perfection as similar, though of a superior degree, to our own performances.
The limit of our imagination, beyond which we are unable to apprehend anything, is to imagine that their salat is good in its qira’ah and other points of etiquette and free from shirk, ostentation, and love of fame, or that their worship was not for the sake of the fear of hell or on account of the craving for paradise. These, of course, are one of their ordinary stations, and their salat, this spiritual ascension, has other stations that lie beyond our imagination.
A Warning Concerning One Of The Satanic Ruses
A warning is essential at this point and that is that the worst obstacle in the path of perfection and attainment of spiritual stations, which is also one of the major masterpieces of Satan, the highwayman, is the negation of the Hidden spiritual stations and degrees. This negation and denial is the root cause of all kinds of misguidance and ignorance and the cause of spiritual stagnation and torpor. It kills the spirit of eagerness, which is the heavenly stead (buraq) for ascending to spiritual excellences. It extinguishes the fires of love, which represents the angelic wings for undertaking the heavenward spiritual journey towards perfection, stopping man from making his spiritual quest.
On the contrary, if one has sincere faith in spiritual stations and the lofty ascents of gnosis, perchance this might help in rekindling the innate fire of love buried under the dust and ashes of carnal desires and illuminate the torch of yearning in the depths of the heart, thus gradually prompting one to seek and to undertake the labors of the quest so that one becomes worthy of Divine guidance and the assistance of that Sacred Essence. And all praise belongs to God.
The Merit Of Brushing The Teeth
It should be known that brushing the teeth, which has been enjoined by the Noblest Messenger (S) in this noble tradition, is absolutely one of the recommended etiquettes of the Shari’ah and has been stressed for certain particular occasions, such as before wudu’ and prayer, at the time of reciting the Qur’an, at daybreak, and on waking up from sleep. It has been highly recommended and greatly emphasized in the sacred traditions, and many a fruitful quality and profitable result is ascribed to it. Here, in these pages, we shall cite some of them for the sake of tabarruk
In al-Kafi (al-Kulayni reports) with his isnad from Abu ‘Abd Allah (A) that he said, “There are twelve qualities associated with the brushing of teeth: it is part of the Prophet’s sunnah (it is mentioned in many traditions that brushing the teeth is one of the sunnah of the prophets.[441] it purifies the mouth, strengthens eyesight, is pleasing to the Lord, takes away the phlegm, sharpens the memory, whitens the teeth, doubles the merit of good acts, stops tooth decay, strengthen the gums, increases appetite and is delightful to the angels.”[442]
Nearly the same thing is mentioned in another tradition. The tooth decay mentioned in this noble tradition consists of cavities and pustules formed at the root of the teeth, which produce a white and bad-smelling pus and burst at the time of chewing the food. This pus gets mixed with the food and causes many ailments such as indigestion, etc. Present-day physicians call it pyorrhea and consider it a serious condition whose remedy may require even pulling out of the teeth.
Hence, aside from the inward Hidden aspects, the most significant of which is the good pleasure of God, it is good for one to make it a regular practice for the sake of physical health and cleanliness and to perform this perpetual sunnah of the prophets. It is mentioned in a tradition that the Noblest Messenger (S) said, “So much did Gabriel recommend the brushing of teeth to me that I became concerned for my teeth…”[443] And he said, “If it were not for the fear of hardship I would have made the brushing of the teeth obligatory on my ummah before every wudu’ and every salat.”[444]
The Noblest Messenger (S) used to keep the miswak [the stick used for brushing the teeth] and the water for wudu’ at the head of his bed at night and he would cover up the vessel containing water. On waking from his sweet sleep he would brush his teeth, perform wudu’, and then offer four rak’ahs of prayer and go to sleep again. Again he would wake up, brush his teeth, perform wudu’ and offer prayer. After mentioning this practice of the Prophet in a hadith, Imam al-Sadiq (A) declares, “You have a good example to emulate in the Messenger of God (S).”[445]
It is stated in hadith that two rak’ahs of prayer performed after brushing the teeth is superior to seventy rak’ahs performed without it. It is stated that if one forgets to brush his teeth before wudu’, it is mustahabb to do so after it and to rinse the mouth thrice with water.[446] The number of traditions on this topic is quite large and anyone who wants to study them should refer to the works of our companions.[447]
Moral Virtues And Vices
Although we have discussed a number of times-in detail and in several relevant places in these pages, to an extent that appeared appropriate and within easy reach-the soul’s moral dispositions and the method of acquiring ethical virtues and avoiding vices, here we will give a concise and comprehensive explanation.
It should be known that ‘disposition’ (khulq) is a state of the soul that inclines it to action without the need of thought or reflection. For instance, someone who has the disposition of generosity is induced by it to give and expend generously without any preliminary thoughts and without reflecting on the preponderants on each side. He acts as if it were one of his natural acts, like seeing and hearing. In the same way, a soul that is chaste, for which the attribute of chastity has become a disposition, preserves itself with such ease as if that were part of its natural behavior. Until the soul does not attain to this station through self-discipline, reflection, and repeated action, it cannot attain a disposition and the spiritual perfection associated with it. Otherwise, the danger always remains, if the trait be one of moral perfections, that it be eroded and overwhelmed by vicious dispositions.
However, if it were to become like one of the natural activities and should one’s faculties and organs be brought under control and were the rule and sovereignty of God to manifest itself within the soul, its decline would be difficult, and such a thing happens only rarely.
The ethicians have stated that this state and disposition of the soul is at times innate in human beings. Whether good or evil, felicitous or wretched, it is based on the original nature and related to temperament. As is well known, some persons are disposed towards goodness from infancy and some are inclined towards evil. Some are enraged at the smallest annoyance or are alarmed by a trivial matter, or panic at the slightest cause. Others are quite the opposite.
At other times these psychic dispositions are acquired through habit, social intercourse, thought and reflection. Sometimes they are first acquired by means of thought and reflection until they become habitual. In this regard there is a difference of opinion amongst them, to discuss which and to engage with whose details would take us beyond the scope of these pages and divert us from our main aim. We shall mention here only that which is appropriate and beneficial in this regard.
It should be known that when it is said that a disposition is natural or innate it does not mean that it is essential (dhati) and unchangeable. Rather, all habits (malikat) and psychic dispositions are capable of change. As long as the soul remains in this world of change and transition, it is subject to time and renewal; and as long as it is associated with matter (hayula) and potentiality (quwwah), the human being can change all its dispositions and transform them into their opposites. This claim is affirmed, besides metaphysical proof (burhan), by experience, as well as by the summons of the prophets and the true religions to noble dispositions and their restraining people from the opposite qualities.
It should be known that the experts of ethics have divided all virtues of the soul under four heads, which are: wisdom (hikmah), chastity (‘iffah), courage (shaja’ah), and justice (‘adalah). Wisdom is regarded as the virtue of the rational discerning soul (nafs-e natiqah-ye mumayyizah); courage as a virtue of the irascible soul (nafs-e ghadabiyyah); chastity as a virtue of the appetitive soul (nafs-e shahwiyyah), and justice as a state of moderation of these threefold virtues.
All other virtues are considered derived from these four. However, the definition and details of each one of them lie outside the scope of these pages and are not that useful for the likes of us. That which must be known is that in accordance with this tradition narrated from the Noblest Messenger (S): I have been sent to perfect noble dispositions,[448]
the purpose and result of the summons of the Seal of the Prophets (S) is the perfection of morality. In the noble traditions, both that are brief and those which are elaborate, moral excellences have been given more importance than anything else after doctrinal teachings (ma’arif). Hereafter, we will cite some of them, God willing.
Their importance is greater than what we are capable of explaining adequately, but that which we know for certain is that the asset of the everlasting life of the hereafter and the capital asset of the life of that abode is the acquisition of noble dispositions and the possession of moral excellences. The paradise which is given to man for the sake of moral excellence, is the paradise of Attributes, incomparable to the physical paradise of Act, wherein the greatest and the fairest of physical bounties and delights are present. Similarly, the darkness and the terrors that seize man due to evil deeds are more terrible than any torture.
As long as man is in this world, he can liberate himself from this darkness and attain those lights. Yes, he can do that, but not with this half -heartedness, slackness, torpor, feebleness, and negligence of ours, who, as we see ourselves, retain every ugly disposition and undesirable trait with which we have grown up since our childhood days or have acquired in improper company and friendship. Rather, we keep on adding to this burden every day, as if we didn’t believe that there is another world and another phase of lasting existence: Woe, if there be a tomorrow after this![449]
As if the summons of the prophets and the awliya’ (A) have nothing to do with us. Who knows, where these dispositions and conduct of us will take us and in what form we shall be resurrected? We would wake up at a time when we could do nothing and regret and shame would be our lot, and we shall have none to reproach except ourselves.
The prophets (A) have shown the path of felicity and the learned and the wise have expounded their statements for us and described the method of curing inner diseases, translating these teachings into every language and disseminating them in various forms. But these things did not enter our ears, and we closed our eyes, ears, and our hearts to them. Therefore, all blame rests on our own shoulders, as stated by the Messenger of God (S) in the present tradition in whose exposition we are engaged. So replete with exhortation for acquisition of moral virtues and abstention from vices are the traditions and reports that its extent is incalculable, yet we neglect even to refer to their books.
And you, my dear! If you are used to traditions and narrations, refer to the sacred works of tradition, especially the noble al-Kafi. If you are used to scientific discourse and the jargon of scholars, refer to such ethical texts as the Taharat al-a’raq,[450] and the books of marhum al-Fayd al-Kashani, al-Majlisi and the two Naraqis.[451] And if you do not consider yourself to be in need of acquiring [the knowledge of ethical principles] or do not consider the acquisition of noble dispositions and abstention from vicious dispositions as essential, then find a remedy for your ignorance which is the mother of all diseases.
We conclude this topic with the mention of some noble traditions related to this theme for tabarruk’s sake: In Man La yahduruh al-faqih, (al-Shaykh al-Saduq reports) with his isnad from Abu ‘Abd Allah (A) that he said, “Verily, God favored His Messenger (S) with noble dispositions. So test yourselves and if you find them in yourselves, thank God and turn to Him that He may increase you therein.” Then he mentioned ten of them: conviction (yaqin), contentment (qina’ah), patience (sabr), gratitude (shukr), mildness (hilm), geniality (husn al-khulq), generosity (sakha’), sense of honor (ghayrah), courage (shajaah), magnanimity (muru’ah).[452]
This tradition has been transmitted through several chains (turuq), except that rida (satisfaction), instead of hilm,[453] occurs in the citation from the Ma’ani al-’akhbar. In al-Wafi, this tradition has been cited with a slightly different wording from al-Kafi.[454]
In al-Majalis (al-Shaykh al-Saduq reports) with his isnad from Ja’far ibn Muhammad (A) that he said, “Acquire moral virtues, for, verily, God loves them, and beware of blameworthy conduct for God hates it” “Accustom yourselves to fairness of disposition, for it raises one who possesses it to the rank of those who fast (perpetually) and stand in prayer (through the night, constantly)”[455]
In al-Kafi (al-Kulayni reports) with his isnad from Abu Ja’far (A) that he said, “Among believers the most perfect in faith is the one who is the most fairly disposed amongst them.”[456]
(Al-Kulayni reports) with his isnad from ‘Ali ibn al-Husayn (A) that he said: The Messenger of Allah (S) said, “There will be nothing superior to fairness of disposition in the balance of a person’s works on the Day of Resurrection.”[457]
Also, the Prophet (S) has said: (Of all qualities) that which will take most of my ummah to paradise is God-fearing (taqwa) and a fair disposition.[458]
And Imam al-Sadiq (A) said: Verily, virtuousness and fairness of disposition make homes flourish and extend the spans of lives.[459]
He also said: Verily, God, the Exalted and the Blessed, rewards a servant for his fair disposition in a measure equal to what He grants to someone who fights day and night in the way of God.[460]
There are many traditions on this subject. In the same way as good nature and fairness of disposition lead to the perfection of faith, add to the weight of one’s deeds in the Balance, and take one into paradise, so also ill- naturedness, on the contrary, corrupts one’s faith and subjects one to Divine chastisement, as pointed out in the sacred traditions: In al-Kafi (al-Kulayni reports) with his isnad from Abu ‘Abd Allah (A) that he said, “Verily, ill-naturedness destroys one’s faith in the same way as vinegar destroys honey (on being mixed with it).”[461]
It is mentioned in another tradition that ill-naturedness destroys one’s works in the way vinegar destroys honey.[462] It is narrated from the Messenger of God (S) that God does not accept the repentance of an ill-natured person. When asked about its reason, he replied, “That is because as soon as he repents for a sin, he falls into a sin worse than the earlier one.”[463]
It is stated in a tradition that one who becomes ill-natured subjects himself thereby to Divine chastisement.[464] It is evident that ill-nature continually torments one who possesses it and is the cause of hardship, darkness, and adversity in the next phases of life, as mentioned in some of the traditions cited. And all praise is God’s, at every beginning and end.
Notes:
[331] Al-Kulayni, Rawdat al-Kafi , p. 79, hadith no. 33.
[332] Al-Qur’an, Surat al-Ma’idah: 105.
[333] Nahj al-balaghah, ed. Fayd al-Islam, Kutub, no. 47.
[334] Al-Kulayni, Usul al-Kafi, vol. ii, “kitab al iman wa al-kufr”, “bab al-kidhb” hadith no. 3.
[335] Al-Kulayni, Usul al-Kafi, vol. ii, “kitab al iman wa al-kufr”, “bab al-kidhb” hadith no. 4.
[336] Al-Hurr al-’Amili, Wasa’il al-Shi’ah, vol. viii, p. 574.
[337] Usul al-Kafi, “kitab al-’iman wa al-kufr”, “bab al-kidhb”, hadith no. 2.
[338] Usul al-Kafi, “kitab al-’iman wa al-kufr”, “bab al-kidhb”, hadith no. 11.
[339] None given.
[340] See the exposition of the twenty-fifth hadith on waswas, note no. 6.
[341] Usu al-Kafi “kitab al-’iman wa al-kufr”, “bab al-wara”‘, hadith no. 11.
[342] Usu al-Kafi “kitab al-’iman wa al-kufr”, “bab al-wara”‘, hadith no. 3.
[343] Wasa’i! al-Shi’ah., vol. xi, p. 196
[344] Wasa’i! al-Shi’ah., vol. xi, p. 194.
[345] Usul al-Kafi, “kitab al-’iman wa al-kufr”, “bab al-sidq wa ada’ l-’amanah”, hadith no. 12.
[346] Usul al-Kafi, “kitab al-’iman wa al-kufr”, “bab al-sidq wa ada’ l-’amanah”, hadith no. 5.
[347] Usul al-Kafi, “kitab al-’iman wa al-kufr”, “bab silat al-rahm”, hadith no. 11.
[348] Al-Kulayni, Furu’ al-Kafi vol. v, p. 133.
[349] Al-Kulayni, Furu’ al-Kafi vol. v, p. 133.
[350] Wasa’il al-Shi’ah, vol. xiii, p. 225, cited from al-Saduq, al-Majalis, majlis” no. 43.
[351] Wasa’il al-Shi’ah, vol. xiii, p. 225, cited from al-Saduq, al-Majalis, majlis” no. 43., cited from al-Saduq, Man la yuhduruhu al-faqih vol. ii, p.198.
[352] Wasa’il al-Shi’ah, vol. xiii, p. 225, cited from al-Saduq, al-Majalis, majlis” no. 43. p. 226.
[353] Wasa’il al-Shi’ah, vol. xiii, p. 225, cited from al-Saduq, al-Majalis, majlis” no. 43.
[354] Ithaf al-sadat al-muttaqin, vol. vii, p. 234.
[355] Wasa’il al-Shi’ah, vol. iv, p. 688.
[356] Usul al-Kafi, “kitab al-’iman wa al-kufr”, “bab al-khawf wa al-raja’,” hadith no. 2.
[357] For the traditions cited in this section, see Wasa’il al-Shi’ah, vol. xi, pp. 175-179.
[358] Furu al-Kafi, vat VI, p. 443, "kitab al‑salat," "bab salat al‑nawafil," hadith 4
[359] Wasail al-Shi’ah, vol III, pp. 31‑32, hadith 1; Ibid, "abwab a'dad al‑fara'id wa nawafiluha," bab 13, hadith 4
[360] That by ‘atamah is meant the nafilah associated with the 'isha' prayer is indicated by the tradition narrated by Hammed ibn `Uthman from al-Imam al‑Sadiq ('a) in Wasa'il al‑Shi'ah, vol III, p. 35, "abwab a'dad al‑fara'id wa nawafiluha," hadith 15.
[361] Ibid. p. 31, hadith 2
[362] Zurarah's riwayah from al‑Imam al‑Baqir ('a); see Wasa'il al‑Shi'ah, vol. III, p. 70, "kitab al-salat," "abwab adad al‑fara'id wa nawafiluha, bab 29, hadith nos. 1, 2, 4, 5, 7.
[363] Abu Basir's riwayah from al‑'Imam al‑Sadiq Ca), see Ibid., vol III, p. 71, hadith 8
[364] Ibid, vol III, p. 70, hadith 3.
[365] Tahdhib al-ahkam, vol II, p.11, "kitab al‑salat," bab 1, hadith 23
[366] Hannan's riwayah from al‑'Imam al‑Sadiq (a); see Wasail al-Shi’ah, vol III, p. 33,
hadith 6.
[367] Mustadrak al‑Wasa'il, vo1 III, p. 50, "kitab al‑salat," bab 12, hadith 4 and 5.
[368] Such as the riwayah of Mohammed ibn Muslim from al‑'lmam al‑Baqir (`a) and that of Hisham ibn Salim from al‑'lmam al‑Sidiq (`or see Wasa'il al‑Shi'ah, vol III, bab 17, p. 52, hadith 2‑4.
[369] Sifat al‑Shi'ah, hadith 1; Wasail al-Shi’ah, vol III, bab 13, hadith 26.
[370] Ibid. p. 42, hadith 29.
[371] Ibid, vo1 VII, bab 7‑12, pp. 3113‑321.
[372] Ibid, vol VII, bab 7, pp. 304‑306, hadith 2, 5, 6, 8
[373] Ibid. p. 303, hadith 1.
[374] Ibid. p. 309, hadith 15.
[375] Ibid, p. 305, hadith 4.
[376] Ibid, hadith 28, footnote X. p. 16.
[377] Al‑Shaykh Yusuf ibn Ahnmad ibn lbrahim al‑Bahrani (1107‑1186/1695‑1772), the
author of al‑Hadaiq aI nadirah fi ahkam al-Itrat al‑tahirah
[378] Al-Wafi, "kitab al‑siyam", bab 4, p. 9; al‑Hada’iq al‑nadirah f i ahkam al‑'itrat
al‑dhirah, vo1 vi, "kitab al‑sawm", "fi al‑sawm al‑mandub," p.188.
[379] Furu al-Kafi, vol IV, "kitab al‑zakat," "bab fadl al‑sadaqah," p. 3, hadith 5.
[380] Ibid, "bab sadaqat al‑layl," hadith 3.
[381] Mustadrak al‑Wasa'il, vol. VII, "kitab al‑zakat," bab 4, pp.164‑166, hadith 1‑6.
[382] Furu al-Kafi, vol.IV, "kitab al‑zakat," bab fadl al‑sadaqah," p. 3, hadith 6.
[383] Bihar al‑'anwar, vol. XCIII, "kitab al‑zakat," bab 14, pp.122‑123, hadith 30.
[384] Furu' al‑Kafi, vo1 IV, p.2, "kitab al‑zakat," "bab fadl al‑sadaqah," hadith 1; p. 5,
"bab anna al‑sadaqah tadfa'u al‑bala'," hadith 3.
[385] See Furu al-Kafi, vol iv, pp. 9‑10, "kitab al‑zakat," "bab fl anna al‑sadaqah tuzidu fi al‑mal," With 3, 4.
[386] Ibid, hadith 1.
[387] Ibid, hadith 2.
[388] Wasa’il al‑Shi’ah, vol. vi, p. 256, "kitab al‑zakat," "abwab al‑sadaqah," bab 1, hadith 5.
[389] Furu' al‑Kafi, vol. lv, p.9, "kitab al‑zakat," "bab fi anna al‑sadaqah tuzidu fi al-mal," hadith 2.
[390] Ibid., vol. IV, p. 70, "bab anna al‑sadaqah tudfa'u al‑bala'," hadith 9.
[391] Ibid, vol IV, p. 3, "kitab al‑zakat," "bab fadl al‑sadaqah," hadith 5.
[392] Ibid. vo1 IV, p. 2, hadith 3.
[393] Wasail al-Shi’ah, vol. XVI, p. 2, "kitab al‑'itq," "bab 1, hadith 1.
[394] Ibid, p. 3, hadith 3.
[395] Tahdhib al‑'ahkam, vol.IV, p. 231, "kitab al‑siyam bab al‑ziyarat," hadith 104.
[396] Majma al‑bayan, under verse 3: 92.
[397] Ibid.
[398] Usul al-Kafi, vol. II, pp. 315‑320, "kitab al-iman wa al‑kufr," "bab hubb al-dunya wa al‑hirs 'alayha, hadith 1 to 17, and elsewhere.
[399] Ibid, p.122.
[400] See the exposition of the sixth hadith on "the Love of the World."
[401] Furu al-Kafi, vol. iv, p. 8, "kitab al‑zakat," "bab fadl sadaqat al‑sirr”, hadith 2.
[402] Ibid., p.7, hadith 1‑3; Wasail al‑Shiah, vol. vi, pp. 275‑278, "kitab al‑zakat," bab 12, hadith 1, 2, 4‑7.
[403] Wasail al-Shi’ah, vol. VI, p. 277, "kitab al‑zakat" bab 12, hadith 11.
[404] Furu al-Kafi, vol. IV, p.10, "kitab al‑zakat," "bab al‑sadaqah' ala al‑qarabah," hadith 2‑3.
[405] Wasail al-Shi’ah, vol. VI, p. 276, "kitab al‑zakat," bab 20, hadith 4, 7
[406] Ibid, p. 336, bab 52, hadith 1. Ibid, p. 336, bab 52, hadith 1.
[407] Bihar al‑'Anwar, vol. 50, p.102, "ta'rikh al‑'lmam al‑Jawad," bab 5, hadith 16.
[408] Wasa il al‑Shi’ah, vol IV, pp. 322‑323, "kitab al‑zakat," bab 42, hadith 1, 3.
[409] Ibid, p. 323, hadith 4.
[410] See the exposition of the twelfth hadith, the section on "the Virtues of the Midnight Prayer."
[411]Ibid. vol. v, p. 268, "kitab al‑salat," bab 39, hadith 2.
[412] Al‑Khisal, vol 1, p. 7, bab 1, hadith 19.
[413] Wasail al-Shi’ah, vol. v, p. 276, "kitab al‑salat," bab 39, hadith 34.
[414] Ibid, p. 277, hadith 36.
[415] Ibid., vol III, pp. 42‑44, bab 14, hadith 1‑3, 6.
[416] Furu' al‑Kafi, vol.III, p. 268, "kitab al‑salat," "bab man hafaza' ala salatihi aw dayya'aha
[417] Usul al-Kafi, vol. II, p. 609, "kitab fadl al‑Qur'an," "bab fi qiri'atih," hadith 1.
[418] Ibid., p. 609, hadith 2.
[419] Al‑Mahajjat al‑bayda', vol. II, p. 237, "kitab adab tiliwat al‑Qur'an, bab 3.
[420] Usul al-Kafi, vol. II, p. 612, hadith 5.
[421] Ibid, vol. II, pp. 596‑602, hadith 1,11,12,14.
[422] Ibid, p.603, "bab hamil al‑Qur'an," hadith 4; Thawab al‑'a'mal wa'iqab al-a'mal, p. 126, "thawab man qara'a al‑Qur'an wa huwa shabbun mu'min"
[423] Bihar al‑'anwar, vol 90, p.187, "kitab al‑Qur'an," bab 20, hadith 7.
[424] Ibid,, vol. 24, p. 303, "kitab al‑Imamah," "bab annahum al‑salat wa al‑zakat," hadith 14.
[425] Usul al-Kafi, vol. II, pp. 639‑642, "kitab al-Shi’ah," "bab man tukrahu mujilasatuhu wa murafaqatuh," hadith 1‑3.
[426] Ibid., vol. II, p. 600, "kitab fadl al‑Qur'an," hadith 5.
[427] Al‑Shaykh al‑Saduq, al‑'Amali, p. 458, majlis 84, hadith 2; Wasa'il al‑Shi'ah, vol. iv, p. 829, "kitab al‑salat," bab 3, hadith 6.
[428] Usul al-Kafi, vol. II, p. 627, "kitab fadl al‑Qur'an," "bab al‑nawadir," hadith 1.
[429] Wasail al-Shi’ah, vol. IV, p. 837, "kitab al‑salat," "abwab qira'at al‑Qur'an," "bab 8, hadith 7; Thawab al‑'a'mal wa 'iqab al‑'a'mal, p. 329, "'iqab al‑musta'kil bi al‑Qur'an," hadith 1.
[430] Al‑Qur'an, 20:125.
[431] Thawab al‑'a'mal wa 'iqab al‑'a'mal, pp. 332, 346, 337; Wasail al‑Shi'ah, vol. iv, p. 837, "kitab al‑salat," "abwab qiri'at al‑Qur'in," bab 8, hadith 8.
[432] Usul al-Kafi, vol. II, p. 614, "kitab fadl al‑Qur'an," "bab tartil al‑Qur'an bi al-sawt al‑hasan," hadith 1.
[433] Ibid., vol. II, p. 614; Majma' al‑bayan, vol X, p. 378.
[434] Usul al‑Kafi, vol. II, p. 615, hadith 4.
[435] Tafsir Nur al-Thaqalayn, vol. v, pp. 683-684, the exegesis of Surat al-Kawthar, hadith 17-19.
[436] Wasa’il al-Shi’ah, vol. iv, p. 726, “kitab al-salat” bab 9.
[437] Majma’ al-bayan, the exegesis of Surat al-Kawthar.
[438] Wasail al-Shi’ah, vol. iv, p. 727, “kitab al-salat,” “abwab takbirat al-ihram,” bab 9, hadith 11.
[439] Wasail al-Shi’ah, vol. iv, p. 727, “kitab al-salat,” “abwab takbirat al-ihram,” bab 7, hadith 5.
[440] Wasail al-Shi’ah, vol. iv, p. 727, “kitab al-salat,” “abwab takbirat al-ihram,” bab 7, pp. 722-723, hadith 7.
[441] Al-Khisal, vol. ii, p. 449, bab 10, hadith 51.
[442] Furu’ al-Kafi, vol. vi, pp. 495-496, “kitab al-zayy wa al-tajammul,” “bab al-siwak,” hadith 6.
[443] Furu’ al-Kafi, vol. vi, p. 496, hadith 8.
[444] Wasa’il al-Shi’ah, vol. i, p. 355, “kitab al-taharah,” “abwab al-siwak,” bab 5, hadith 3.
[445] Wasa’il al-Shi’ah, vol. i, p. 355, “kitab al-taharah,” “abwab al-siwak,” p. 356, bab 6, hadith 1.
[446] Bihar al-’anwar, vol. 73, pp. 132-133, “kitab al-adab wa al-sunan,” “bab al-siwak wa al-hathth ‘alayh,” hadith 32-34.
[447] Wasa’il al-Shi’ah, vol. i, pp. 353, 355-356, “kitab al-taharah,” bab 3, 5-6.
[448] Majma’ al-bayan, exegesis of verse 4 of Surat al-Qalam.
[449] Adapted from the following couplet of Hafiz:
Ñ ãÓáãÇäí ÇÒ Çíä ÇÓÊ ßå ÍÇÝÙ ÏÇÑÏ Âå ÇÑ ÇÒ í ÇãÑæÒ ÈæÏ ÝÑÏÇíí
[450] By Miskawayh, ethical philosopher and historian of the 5th/11th century.
[451] Among these works are Muhajjat al-bayda’, al-Kalimat al-maknunah, and al-Ilayal al-jawid by al-Fayd al-Kashani, Haqq al-yaqin by al-Allamah al-Majlisi, Jami’ al-sa’adat by Mulla Mahdi al-Naraqi and Mi’raj al-sa’adah by Mulla Ahmad al-Naraqi.
[452] Al-Khisal, vol. ii, p. 431, bab 10, hadith 12.
[453] Ma’ani al-’akhbar, p. 191, “bab fi makarim al-akhlaq,” hadith 3.
[454] Al-Wafi, vol. iv, p. 264, “kitab al-iman wa al-kufr,” “bab jawami’ al-makarim,” hadith 2.
[455] Al-Shaykh al-Saduq, al-Amali, majlis 57; Wasa’il al-Shi’ah, vol. xi, p. 156, “kitab al-jihad,” “abwab jihad al-nafs,” bab 6, hadith 8.
[456] Usul al-Kafi, vol. ii, p. 99, “kitab al-iman wa al-kufr,” “bab husn al-khulq,” hadith 1.
[457] Usul al-Kafi, vol. ii, p. 99, “kitab al-iman wa al-kufr,” “bab husn al-khulq,” hadith 2.
[458] Usul al-Kafi, vol. ii, p. 99, “kitab al-iman wa al-kufr,” “bab husn al-khulq,” hadith 6.
[459] Usul al-Kafi, vol. ii, p. 99, “kitab al-iman wa al-kufr,” “bab husn al-khulq,” hadith 8.
[460] Usul al-Kafi, vol. ii, p. 99, “kitab al-iman wa al-kufr,” “bab husn al-khulq,” hadith 12.
[461] Usul al-Kafi, vol. ii, p. 99, “kitab al-iman wa al-kufr,” “bab husn al-khulq,” hadith 3.
[462] Usul al-Kafi, vol. ii, p. 99, “kitab al-iman wa al-kufr,” “bab husn al-khulq,” hadith 1.
[463] Usul al-Kafi, vol. ii, p. 99, “kitab al-iman wa al-kufr,” “bab husn al-khulq,” hadith 2.
[464] Usul al-Kafi, vol. ii, p. 99, “kitab al-iman wa al-kufr,” “bab husn al-khulq,” hadith 4.
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