One day, Imam al-Baqir (‘a) was instructing and warning a group of his adherents, who were encompassing him, while they were absent-minded. The Imam (‘a) felt angry; therefore, he nodded the head down, then raised it and said:
Had a small part of my wording fallen in the heart of one of you, he would have been surely dead. You are only soulless ghosts and lightless wicks. You are like propped up hollow trunks of wood and manufactured statues. Why do you not extract gold from stones? Why do you not take light from the brightest illumination? Why do you not take the gem from the sea? Take the good wording from him who said it even if he does not apply it to himself. God says:
Those who listen to the word, then follow the best of it; those are they whom Allah has guided. (39:18).
Woe to you, deceitful persons, why do you not thank Him Who gives you the everlasting while you give Him the passing? One dirham will pass away, while it will be compensated with ten dirhams up to seven hundred folds that are doubled by the All-Generous the All-Openhanded. God gave you in remuneration while it is He Who feeds you, waters you, dresses you, heals you, protects you, and guards you against him who chases you.
Moreover, He shields you in day and night, answers you in misfortunes, and intends to guide you through tests. It seems you have forgotten the nights of your pains and fears. You supplicated to Him and He responded. This obliges you to show Him gratitude for His good deeds. Although, you forgot Him while He is the only worthy of mentioning, and violated His orders. Woe to you, you are only a thief among the thieves of sins. You hurry for committing any passionate act or sin that is shown before you. Due to your ignorance, you commit the sins as if you are not in God’s sight or as if God is not watching you.
O seeker of Paradise, Your sleep is too extended, your riding animal is too tardy, and your de-termination is too feeble. What sort of seeker and sought you are!
O avoider of Hell, your riding animal is taking you hastily to Hell and you are acquiring that which drives you into it rapidly. Look at the graves. Their structures are near to each other while their inhabitants are very far from each other. They constructed then destructed, achieved tranquil then felt lonely, lodged then were troubled, and lived then left. Except people of the graves, have you ever heard of remote neighbor, near isolated, destructed former, troubled resident, and leaving inhabitant?
You are the son of three days; your birthday, the day on which you will be taken to your grave, and the day on which you will be resurrected to meet your Lord. That will be surely a horrible day.
O you owners of admirable masses and camels kneeling near the springs! Why do I notice that your bodies are constructive while your hearts and destroyed? By God I swear, if your sights fall on what will you unquestionably meet, you will say:
Would that we could return to the worldly life. We would never reject any of our Lord’s revelations and we would be true believers.” (6:27).
God the Majestic says:
Whatever they had concealed will be revealed to them. If they were to return to (the worldly life), they would again worship idols, for they are liars. (6:28).