The most favorable friend to me is that who shows me my flaws.
90. Imam As-Sadiq (‘as) said:
Friendship is nil unless its limits are kept. He who does not keep these limits should not be regarded as friend. The first limit is that the inner self and the appearance should be identical. The second limit is that the friend should regard your goodness and his goodness and your evil as his evil. The third limit of friendship is that a position or fortunes should not change the friend’s relation with his friends. The fourth limit is that the friend should not deprive his friend of anything that he is capable of doing. The fifth limit (which is the most comprehensive), is that the friend should never leave his friend alone in calamities.
91. Imam As-Sadiq (‘as) said:
Comity is one third of the mind.
92. Imam As-Sadiq (‘as) said:
The believers’ laughter should be only a smile.
93. Imam As-Sadiq (‘as) said:
There is no difference between depositing a trust with a betrayer or a negligent.
94. Imam As-Sadiq (‘as) said to Al-Mufadhdhal:
I instruct you to stick on six characters and relate them to my adherents (Shia). You should fulfill the trust of him who entrusts you with anything. You should like for your brother whatever you like for yourself. You should know that every matter has an end; therefore, you should beware of the outcomes of matters. Similarly, every matter has a sudden event; hence, beware of the sudden events. Beware of climbing an easy mountain if its slope is uneven. Never promise your brother of a matter that you cannot fulfill.
95. Imam As-Sadiq (‘as) said:
God has not permitted people in three matters: they should treat the parents kindly whether they are righteous or wicked, abide by the pledge whether to the righteous or the wicked, and fulfill the trust whether to the righteous or the wicked.
96. Imam As-Sadiq (‘as) said:
I feel sympathetic to three classes of people. Anyhow, they should be treated mercifully. They are those who suffered humiliation after honor, those who became needy after having been wealthy, and the scholars whom have been belittled by their folks and the ignorant people.
97. Imam As-Sadiq (‘as) said:
He whosever heart is attached to the fondness of this world will be suffering three matters—an everlasting care, an unattainable hope, and an unachievable expectation.
98. Imam As-Sadiq (‘as) said:
Lying and treachery are not within the ethics of the believers. Two characters are not found together in the hypocrites: they are good-looking and understanding of a tradition.
99. Imam As-Sadiq (‘as) said:
People are equal like the teeth of a comb. With the support of his brothers, a man can be regarded as great. No goodness is expected in the friendship of those who do not like for their friends whatever they like for themselves.
100. Imam As-Sadiq (‘as) said:
Understanding is the ornament of faith, self-possession is the ornament of understanding, kindness is the ornament of self-possession, leniency is the ornament of kindness, and easiness is the ornament of leniency.
101. Imam As-Sadiq (‘as) said:
You should regard him who became angry with you three times without addressing any bad saying to you as a true friend.
102. Imam As-Sadiq (‘as) said:
People will live in a time when nothing will be dearer than a good friend and a legally gotten dirham.
103. Imam As-Sadiq (‘as) said:
He who intrudes in situations of accusation should never blame those who mistrust him. He who conceals his secrets will possess the options. Every secret that exceeds more than two persons will spread. Regard the best meaning of your brother’s saying and never search for an ill meaning in his saying if there is a probability of good intention. You should adhere to the veracious friends because they will be the allies in good days and the shelter in misfortunes. Regarding your affairs, you should counsel with those who fear God. You should regard your friends according to their God-fearing. Keep yourself away from the vicious women and beware of the good-natured ones. If they enjoin a good matter, you should oppose them so that they will not seek the evil for you.
104. Imam As-Sadiq (‘as) said:
The hypocrites will surely forge lies if they relate something to God and His Apostle, will break their promises to God and His Apostle, and will betray God and His Apostle if they become rulers. This is God’s saying:
God will, for their disregard of their promise and their telling lies, place hypocrisy in their hearts which will not leave them until they face the consequences of their deeds. (9:77).
Do not be surprised that they want to be dishonest with you; they have always been dishonest with God. However, He has power over them. God is All-Knowing and All-Wise. (8:71).
105. Imam As-Sadiq (‘as) said:
It is a sufficient disgrace to wear a scandalous dress or ride on a scandalous animal.
Imam As-Sadiq (‘as) was asked about the scandalous riding animal. He said:
The scandalous riding animal is the piebald animal.
106. Imam As-Sadiq (‘as) said:
You will not attain the actual faith unless you love the remotest and hate the nearest all for God’s sake.
107. Imam As-Sadiq (‘as) said:
He who attributes the grace that he acknowledges to God is showing gratefulness properly even if he does not use the tongue (for verbal thanks). He who believes that God will punish him for the sin that he committed is seeking God’s forgiveness even if he does not say it orally.
The Imam (‘as) then recited God’s saying:
God will call you to account for all that you may reveal from your souls and all that you may conceal. God will forgive or punish whomever He wants. God has power over all things. (2:284).
108. Imam As-Sadiq (‘as) said:
Beware of the two annihilating characters—they are issuing verdicts out of your own opinion and be taking what you do not know as creed.
109. Imam As-Sadiq (‘as) said to Abu Baseer:
O Abu Muhammad, do not spy on people’s beliefs lest you will become friendless.
110. Imam As-Sadiq (‘as) said:
The gracious forgiveness is to stop punishing for a sin and the gracious patience is that which is empty of complaint.