25. The right of your master who has favored you (by freeing you from slavery) is that you know that he has spent his property for you and brought you out of the abasement and estrangement of bondage to the exaltation and comfort of freedom. He has freed you from the captivity of possession and loosened the bonds of slavery form you. He has made you smell the perfume of honor, brought you out of prison of weakness, saved you from hardship, extended to you the tongue of fairness, made you behave freely in the whole world, given you ownership of yourself, freed you from captivity, and given you leisure to worship you Lord. For all the previous, he has encountered decrease of his fortune. You should know that he is, after your near relatives, the closest of God’s creatures to you in your life and your death and that he is the most meritorious of your aid, support, and help in God’s sake. Do not prefer yourself to him in anything he needs.
26. The right of the slave whom you have favored by freeing him is that you know that God has made you his protector, shelter, supporter, and refuge and made your freeing him a means of access to Him and made. This is a sufficient reason to consider him as a veil against the Fire (of Hell). Your immediate reward is to inherit for him (if he does not have any maternal relatives) as a compensation for the property you have spent from him and fulfilling his rights thereafter. If you do not fulfill his rights, it will be expected that you will not take pleasure in his inheritance.
All power belongs to God.
27. The right of him who does a kindly act toward you is that you thank him and mention his kindness; you reward him with beautiful words and you supplicate to him sincerely in that which is between you and God. If you do that, you have thanked him secretly and openly. Then, if you are able to repay him one day, you repay him. If not, you should be his loyal protector.
28. The right of the muezzin is that you know that he is reminding you of your Lord, calling you to your good fortune, and helping you to accomplish what God has made obligatory upon you. So, thank him for that just as you thank one who does good to you. If you are grieved at your house, you should not accuse God (of being the source of that grief). You should know that everything that befalls you is undoubtedly one of God’s graces. Associate the graces of God properly, by showing gratitude, in every condition.
All power belongs to God.
29. The right of your imam in your ritual prayer is that you know that he has taken on the role of mediator between you and your Lord and has visited God on behalf of you. He speaks for you, but you do not speak for him; he supplicates for you, but you do not supplicate for him; he has beseeched for you and you do not beseech for him. He has spared you the terror of standing before God and the question of interrogation for the prayer, but you do not spare him that. If he performs the prayer imperfectly, that belongs to him and not to you; if he commits a sin during the prayer, you will not be his partner. He had no excellence over you. So, protect yourself through him, protect your prayer through his prayer, and thank him in that measure.
All power belongs to God.
30. The right of your sitting companion is that you treat him mildly, behave with him leniently, show fairness toward him while vying with him in discourse, not look at him deeply, use a language that he understands, and do not stand up from sitting with him without his permission. However, it is permissible form him who sits with you to leave without asking your permission, but you should not leave him before asking his permission.
31. The right of your neighbor is that you guard him when he is absent, honor him when he is present, and aid and support him in the two states (whether he is absent or present). You do not pursue anything of his that is shameful and do not try to know his faults; if you know of any evil from him unintentionally or accidentally, you should take the role of the fortified stronghold and the veiling screen. You should keep him in such a manner that nothing of his defects should be found even if they are inspected through spears. Do not listen any wording that is said about him when he is absent. Do not disappoint him in hardship. Do not envy him for a favor. Release him from his stumble and forgive his sins. Do not hide your clemency when he behaves ignorantly with you. Treat him peacefully in every situation: answer those who revile at him, frustrate the trickeries against him, and associate with him gently.
All power belongs to God.
32. The right of the companion is that you act as his companion with bounty whenever it is possible. If not, you should treat him with fairness. You honor him as he honors you, guard him as he guards you, and you do not let him be the first to act with generosity. If he is the first, you repay him. Do not neglect any part of amicability that he deserves. Commit yourself to advise him, associate with him, help him perform the acts of obedience to his Lord, and protect him against committing any act of disobedience to his Lord. Be a mercy for him, not a chastisement.
All power belongs to God.
33. The right of the partner is that if he should be absent, you suffice him in his affairs, and if he should be present, you show regard for him. You make no decision without his decision and you do nothing on the basis of your own opinion before you discuss it with him. Safeguard his wealth and save him from betrayal in that of his affair, which is difficult, or of little importance, for God’s hand is above the hands of two partners as long as they do not betray each other.
All power belongs to God.
34. The right of your property is that you take it only from what is lawful and you spend it only in what is proper. Do not use it in other than its proper places and do not spend it in other than rightful situations. Do not make its expenditure to anyone other than God, for God is its source. Make it a way taking to God. Through it, you should not prefer over yourself those who will not praise you, for they may do not represent you well in your inheritance or they may spend it in fields other than these of obedience to God and, hence, you will be their partner in such ill deeds. You may bequeath your property to a person who expends it in fields of obedience to God in a way better than yours and, therefore, he will gain the reward while your share will be sin, regret, and sorrow in addition to the punishment.
All power belongs to God.
35. The right of him to whom you owe a debt is that, if you have the means, you pay him back, meet his need, make him rich, and avoid delaying and procrastinating him, for the Prophet (S) said: “The procrastination of the rich is wrongdoing.” If you are in straitened circumstances, you satisfy him with good words, ask him (for respite) tenderly, send him away with gentleness, and avoid adding your maltreatment to your being the reason of the vanishing of his property. That will be surely meanness.
All power belongs to God.
36. The right of the mate is that you should not deceive, cheat, lie to, fool, and trick him. Moreover, you should not behave with him like the behavior of the enemy who alienates all his friends. If he is sure of you, you should prefer him to yourself. You should realize that to betray the inattentive is (a sort of) usury.
All power belongs to God.
37. The right of the adversary who has a claim against you is that, if what he claims against you is true, you submit to his proof and avoid acting for canceling his petition. You should dispute yourself for proving his due, be the fair judge against yourself, and give witness to it against yourself. That is the right of God, which is incumbent upon you. If what he claims against you is false, you act with kindness toward him and you show nothing in his affair other than kindness; you do not displease your Lord in his affair.
All power belongs to God.
38. The right of the adversary who is defendant is that, if your claim was right, you should use nice wording while you are filing your claim, for the claim is harsh for the defendant. You should also provide your evidences with lenience, respite, best statement, and complete gentleness. You should not dispute with him about gossips lest, your proofs will be weakened and will lose opportunity to prove them.
All power belongs to God.
39. The right of him who asks you for advice is that, if you can supply him with a correct opinion, you exert all efforts for advising him and suggest to him to opt for the matter that you will choose if you were him. You should do so with lenience and kind style, for lenience entertains the estranged while unkindness estrange in situations of cordiality. If you do not have an accurate opinion to supply him with, you direct him to someone that you trust and are sure he has the proper opinion. In this case, you do your best for advising him and exert all efforts to lead him to the good.
All power belongs to God.
40. The right of him whom you ask for advice is that you do not make accusations against him for an opinion that does not conform to your own opinion. It is natural that the opinions are divergent and people have various views about their affairs. Therefore, you should have the freedom of choice in the question of acting upon his advice if you doubt it. However, it is unacceptable for you to accuse him of ill advice as long as you regard him as one of those whose opinions are worthy of being followed. Do not leave thanking him for the good opinions with which he supplies you. If his opinion fits you, you should thank God for so and appreciate it for your brother by means of thankfulness and remuneration.
All power belongs to God.
41. The right of him who asks your counsel is that you give him your counsel that you think it will benefit him. You should opt for the lenient wording that he receives acceptably and use the language that is suitable to his intelligence, for each mind has a definite class of language for which it responds and recognize. Choose mercy as your course.
All power belongs to God.
42. The right of your counselor is that you act gently toward him, give ear to him, and open your hearing for him so that you understand his counsel and look in it deeply. If he presents you with the right course, you praise God, accept the advice from him, and acknowledge his favor. If he does not agree with you, you should use compassion toward him and make no accusations against him; you should know that he spared no efforts for supplying with the best advice, but he has made a mistake, and you do not take him to task for that, unless he should be deserving of accusation. Then attach no more importance to his affair.
All power belongs to God.
43. The right of him who is older than you is that you show reverence toward him because of his age and you honor him because he converted into Islam if he has been one of those who preceded others to Islam. You leave off confronting him in a dispute, you do not precede him in a path, you do not go ahead of him, and you do not consider him foolish. If he should act foolishly toward you, you put up with him and you honor him because of the right of Islam and the respect due to it. The right of age should be considered when compared with the measure of Islam.
All power belongs to God.
44. The right of him who is younger is that you show compassion toward him, teach him, educate him, pardon him, cover his faults, be kind to him, help him, cover up the sins of his juvenility because he accepts repentance, be courteous with him, and leave wrangling him. That will bring him near to righteousness.
45. The right of him who asks from you is that you give to him if you are certain he is truthful and able to meet his need. You should also supplicate to God to relieve him from his misfortune, and help him settle his needs. If you doubt his truthfulness, accuse him (of dishonesty), and determine not to give him since he may be one of the trickeries of the Shaytan, try to deprive you from your share, and prevent you from offering to God, then you should not uncover him and you should reject his demand gently. If you overcome your passions in his regard and give him what he asked for, then that is a part of faith and determination.
46. The right of him from whom you ask is that you accept from him with gratitude and recognition of his bounty if he gives, and you accept his excuse if he withholds and think well of him. You should realize that if he withholds, he is withholding his own property, and he cannot be blamed for withholding his own property. If he was wrong, then man is certainly wrong and disbelieving.
47. The right of him through whom God makes you happy is that you first praise God, if he made you happy intentionally and then you thank him according to the measure of his gift, reward him for his favor of incipiency (in gifting), and dedicate a prize to him. If he has brought you happiness unintentionally or accidentally, you praise God, thank him (the person), realize that he chose you exclusively for that and loved so because he has been one of the causes of God’s graces upon you. You should hope for him only goodness. The causes of graces are certainly blessings wherever they are, even if they are provided unintentionally.
All power belongs to God.
48. The right of him who does evil to you, through a word or a deed, is that you pardon him if you know that he did (or said) so intentionally. Pardon, in fact, is more acceptable, because it brings about restraint and good mannerism as well as many other nobilities of character. God says:
Those who successfully defend themselves after being wronged will not be questioned. (42:41).
Only those who do injustice to people and commit rebellion on earth for no reason will be questioned. They will suffer a painful torment. (42:42).
To exercise patience and forgive (the wrong done to one) is the proof of genuine determination. (42:43).
He, the Majestic, also says:
If you want retaliation, let it be equal to that which you faced. But if you exercise patience it will be better for you. (16:126).
If he who does evil to you has done it unintentionally, you should not oppress him by insisting on retaliation lest, you will be punishing him intentionally for something that he had done unintentionally. You should also be kind with him and answer him as gently, as possible.
49. The right of the people of your creed is harboring safety for them, showing compassion toward them, showing kindness toward their evildoer, treating them with friendliness, seeking their well-being, and thanking him who does favor to you and himself, for he whoever does favor to him-self is doing you favor as he keeps his harm away from you, saves you from settling his sustenance, and detains his evildoing from you. Include them (people of your creed) all in your supplication to God and back them all with your support. You should regard each of them in the place he deserves: their old men stand in the place of your father, their children in the place of your sons, and their youths in the place of your brothers. You should care for him who comes to you so gently and compassionately. Regard your brother as properly as possible.
50. The right of the people under the protection of Islam (Dhimmis) is that you accept from them what God has accepted for them, fulfill their rights that God pledged and assured, entrust them to God in the matters that they are asked to carry out, judge among them with the judgments of God that He commanded in the conditions of treating with them, and you do no wrong to them as long as they fulfill God’s covenant. The pledge of the Prophet (S) is a barrier against oppressing them, for he, the Prophet, (S) is reported to have said: “I am the adversary party of him whoever oppresses a Dhimmi.” Fear God.
All power belongs to God.
These have been fifty rights that surround you and you cannot avoid in any condition. It is in-cumbent upon you to care for them and exert all efforts for carrying them out. You should seek the help of God the Majestic in that regard.
All power belongs to God.
All praise is due to Allah the Lord of the worlds.