170. Imam As-Sadiq (‘as) said:
He who desires for enjoying a long age should do things precisely. He who desires for having his burdens (sins) lightened should put the screen of pudency. He who desires for being praised and estimated should hide his beliefs.
171. Imam as-Sadiq (‘as) said:
The best deeds of the servants are three: they are to treat the believers fairly, to console the friends, and to mention God in every situation.
Some asked: “What is the meaning of mentioning God in every situation?” The Imam (‘as) answered:
This means to mention God when you want to commit a sin so that He will prevent you from committing it.
172. Imam As-Sadiq (‘as) said:
Hamza (A symbol in the Arabic script representing the glottal stop) is an addition in the Qur’an.13
173. Imam As-Sadiq (‘as) said:
Beware of joking, because it causes rancor and drives into malice. Joking is the lesser revilement.
174. Al-Hasan Ibn Rashid reported: Abu Abdillah (‘as) said: When a misfortune inflicts you, you should not complain about it to the embracers of other sects. You should complain about it to your brothers. You will certainly gain one of four: you will either find a solution, get a financial help, win a responded supplication, or have a counsel of wisdom.
175. Imam As-Sadiq (‘as) said:
Do not roam in marts frequently. Do not buy the minute things yourself. It is abominable for the religious and the highborn to buy the minute things themselves except in three states: buying the real estates, the slaves, and the camels.
176. Imam As-Sadiq (‘as) said:
Do not discuss matters that do not concern you. Leave discussing most of the matters that concern you until you find the appropriate time. It often happens that the rightful discusser of a matter that concerns him will be exhausted because he uses improper time. Do not dispute anyone; whether foolish or clement. The clement overcomes you and the ignorant embarrass you. Mention your absent friends in the same way you like him to mention you when you are absent. This is the true action. When you act, you should be certain that you will be rewarded for good deeds and punished for evildoings.
177. Younus related: Before Imam as-Sadiq (‘as) I said: “My loyalty to you (the Prophet’s family) and recognition of your rights are most favorable to me than this world with all of its insides.” I noticed the Imam was enraged. After a while, he (‘as) said:
“O Younus, you have evaluated us in an improper measurement. What is the world and what are its insides? It is no more than relief of a trouble or screening of a defect. By loyalty to us, you are gaining the endless life.
178. Imam As-Sadiq (‘as) said:
O adherents of Muhammad’s family, for those who do not possess themselves in rage, those who do not respect the companionship and association and compromise of their companions and associates and parties, and those who do not oppose others in a peaceful way, all these are not belonging to us. O adherents of Muhammad’s family, exert all your efforts in fearing God. All might and power belong to God.
179. Abdul-A’la reported: Abu Abdillah (‘as) asked me whether I had been associating the people of Medina. I answered affirmatively. He told me to inform him of their news. I told that once I was sitting among people of Medina when they were talking about openhandedness. A man, named Abu Dukein, spoke, ‘It is surely Ja’far except that he is like this.’ He then closed his hand. As he listened to this story, the Imam (‘as) commented:
Woe to Abu Dukein! His like is the feather; the wind flights it whenever it blows.
After a pause, he (‘as) added:
The Prophet (SAW) said: “Any favor is charity. The best alms are that which does not influence one’s expenditure of his family members. Begin, when you give alms, with those whose provisions are obligatory upon you. The hand of the giver is better than the hand of the receiver. God does not censure for the minimum sustenance.” Do you think that God is ungenerous or there is something more generous than Him? The true generous and master is that who carries out God’s rights correctly. He who gains money illegally and spends it un-rightfully is not generous. Most surely, I desire for meeting God without taking anything that is illicit for me. I have fulfilled the rights of God entirely. I passed no single night without defraying God’s rights in my fortune.
180. Imam As-Sadiq (‘as) said:
Suckling after weaning is void. Continuous fasting is void. Orphanage after maturity is void. Keeping silent a day up to night is void. Migration after the conquest of Mecca is void. Migration to the non-Muslim countries (after living in a Muslim country) is void. Divorcement before marriage is void. Manumission before slavery is void. The oath of sons, slaves, and wives regarding their fathers, masters, and husbands is void. Vow of an act of disobedience (to God) is void. Oath of rupturing relations is void.
181. Imam As-Sadiq (‘as) said:
No one can attain good livelihood (even if he is so lucky) without passing through misfortunes. Days will usurp the opportunities of those who waste today’s opportunity due to their expectation of tomorrow’s opportunities. Days’ custom is the usurpation of opportunities and the habit of time is wasting them.
182. Imam As-Sadiq (‘as) said:
Doing favors is the tax of graces, intercession is the tax of the power, diseases are the tax of bodies, and forgiveness is the tax of success. Everything whose tax is defrayed will be guarded against loss.
183. In misfortunes, Imam as-Sadiq (‘as) used to say:
All praise is due to Allah Who did not make my misfortune in my religious affairs. All praise is due to Allah Who could, if He willed, make my misfortune more catastrophic than what it is now. All praise is due to Allah for the matter that He willed to be, and it was as He willed.
184. Imam As-Sadiq (‘as) said:
God says: For him who saves a confused individual, I will consider him as thankful and will lodge him in My Paradise.
185. Imam As-Sadiq (‘as) said:
If the world advances to some people, it will garb them with the others’ charms. If it leaves some people, it usurps their own charms.