This is a very length narration in which MAULA E QAIYANAT HAZRAT ALI BIN ABI TALIB (ASWS) has advised about the way of Life To Janabe Kumail.
We have split this Hadees in to Small Sections and parts to Make reading more pleasurable and easy.
PART 1
The scholar AbulBaqaa’ Ibrahim bin Husain bin Ibrahim Al-Basri narrated from Abu Taleb Mohammad bin Husain bin Atabah. fromAbulHasan Mohammad bin Husain bin Ahmad, from Mohammad bin Wahban Al-Dobaili, from Ali bin Ahmad bin Bishr Al-Askari, from Abu Salaamah, Ahmad bin Mofazz’al Al-Asfahani, from Rashid bin Ali bin Wael Al-Qarashi, from Abdullah bin Hafs Al-Madani, from Mohammad bin Is’haaq, who said:
Saeed bin Zaid bin Arta’ah met with Kumail bin Ziyad and asked him about the virtues of ALI BIN ABI TALEB (ASWS).
Kumail said, “I will share the will that ALI BIN ABI TALEB (ASWS) left for me with you, which is better than the entire world and everything that is in it.”
ALI BIN ABI TALEB (ASWS) told me:
O Kumail! Start your day with the name of ALLAH (SWT), “BISMILLAH,” and with “LA HOWLA WA LA QOWWATA ILLA BILLAH” (There is no strength nor power but with ALLAH), and entrust your soul to ALLAH(SWT) . Mention us (ASWS) with our names and send blessings on us (ASWS) (Salawat), and seek refuge with ALLAH (SWT). This will protect you and everything around you from all evil on that day..........
O Kumail! I am the founder of every field of knowledge and every secret will be revealed by the QAEM (ATFS) (12th lmam (ASWS)). O Kumail! “Offspring, one from the other; and ALLAH (SWT) is hearing, knowing” (3:34).
O Kumail! As long as you do not listen to anything except that which comes from us, you will be part of us.
O Kumail! You (people) need help in learning about everything that exists.
O Kumail! When you want to start eating, start with the name of ALLAH (SWT). Nothing can hurt you with His name; it is a cure from illness.
O Kumail! Always have someone eat with you and do not be stingy with your food. Understand that you do not provide sustenance and that ALLAH(SWT) will reward you for sharing your food.
O Kumail! Have AKHLAAQ (great manners), make your companions lives easier, and do not be harsh with your servants.
O Kumail! Take your time when you eat so that those with whom you are eating finish their food and receive their RIZQ (sustenance).
O Kumail! When you are finished eating, thank ALLAH for the sustenance, and thank Him loudly so that others hear you and thank Him too, because this will increase your reward.
O Kumail! Do not keep eating until you are full; leave room for water and air.
O Kumail! Do not finish all of your food because the PROPHET (SAWW) never finished his food.Stop eating while you are still a little hungry because that is healthy eating.
O Kumail! Health is in eating little and drinking little.
PART 2
O Kumail! Prosperity in fortune comes with alms giving, consolation of the believers, and visiting your relatives. Your relatives are those who are close to us.
O Kumail! Be more generous, more kind, and more charitable to the believers from your family than to other believers.
O Kumail! Do not turn away the poor even if you can only give them a date or a grape!
O Kumail! Charity grows in ALLAH(SWT)’s eyes.
O Kumail! The Akhlaaq of a believer is beautified through his humility, made complete through his kindness, honoured through his compassion, and glorified through not participating in hearsay.
O Kumail! Do not ever be self-righteous because you will seduce only the foolish and you will lose your real friends.
O Kumail! Only argue about ALLAH (SWT) (with disbelievers) who look like they are intelligent, because they are all foolish anyway as ALLAH says, “Verily, they themselves are the fools, but they do not know” (2:13).
O Kumail! Every nation has good and bad people. So do not get in a heated argument with those who are ignorant. And if they insult you, be patient amongst them for ALLAH (SWT) says, “When the ignorant address them, they say: Peace” (25:63).
O Kumail! Always tell the truth. Surround yourself with those who are pious and abandon those who are immoral.
O Kumail! Stay away from the hypocrites and do not befriend those who will betray you.
O Kumail! Never knock on the door of the unjust, mingle with them, or earn from them. Do not ever obey them and do not speak in their gatherings about that which will make ALLAH angry with you.
O Kumail! If you have to attend the gatherings (of the unjust) praise the Lord continuously, entrust your soul to ALLAH (SWT), and seek refuge with ALLAH (SWT) from their evil. Say nothing to them, but deny their actions in your heart and glorify the Lord loudly so that they can hear you. Consequently, they will fear you and you will be protected from their evil.
O Kumail! The best thing that ALLAH (SWT) loves from His slaves, after testifying in Him and His successors, is beautifying the soul through compassion and patience.
O Kumail! There is nothing wrong with people not knowing your secrets.
O Kumail! Do not show people your needs and be patient while anticipating ALLAH’s reward and you will thereby earn peoples’ trust..
Part 3
O Kumail! Who is your brother? Your brother is he who does not let you down in times of difficulty, does not keep quiet when you do something wrong, does not lie to you when you ask him a question, and does not wait to offer his help until he learns that the problem has already been solved.
O Kumail! A believer is the mirror of his fellow believer. A believer will help identify a fellow believer’s weaknesses and he will help him rectify them.
O Kumail! Believers are brothers and nothing should come between brothers.
O Kumail! If you do not love your brother then you are not his brother.
OKumail! A believer is one who follows us. Those who do not follow us, neglect us and will not be with us. And those who are not with us will be in the lowest levels of Hell.
Part 4
O Kumail! Our secret matters are to be kept secret. If someone discloses them to you and orders you to keep it confidential, do not disclose it. If you disclose it your repentance will not be accepted, and if that happens your destination will be Hell.
O Kumail! ALLAH (SWT) does not allow the secrets of the family of the PROPHET (SAWW) to be made public because not everyone’s heart has the capacity to bear it.
O Kumail! Do not teach that which the family of the PROPHET (SAWW) tells you except to a believer who is worthy of such information.
O Kumail! Do not teach the disbelievers anything about us because they will change it and will use it against you.
O Kumail! The believers, who have died, will come back and will achieve victory with the believers yet to come.
O Kumail! ALLAH will give these believers good in this life and in the Hereafter.
Part 5
O Kumail! You are surrounded by your enemies. You have to live with them, eat with them, and drink with them. It is possible that you may be wealthier than they are, to their utter disappointment, but ALLAH (SWT) will help you and fail them.
O Kumail! I swear to ALLAH (SWT) that when your leader (the 12th Imam (ATFS)) appears, your enemies will not eat with you, live near you, or knock on your door. They will not receive any blessings; they will be the dishonoured and the despised ones. They will be captured wherever they go and they will be killed.
O Kumail! Praise the LORD (SWT) and the IMAMS (ASWS) for this and for every other blessing.
O Kumail! For any difficulty say “LA HOWLA WA LA QOWWATA ILLA BILLAH” (There is no strength nor power but with ALLAH) and the difficulty will be removed. For any blessing say “ALHAMDU LILLAH” (All Praise Belongs to ALLAH) and We will increase the blessing.
If your sustenance is delayed seek forgiveness and it will come to you.
O Kumail! If Shaytan whispers in your heart, say:
“A’OUZO BILLAH AL-QAWI MIN AL-SHAITAN AL-GHAWI WA A’OUZO BI MOHAMMADEN AL-RADHI MIN SHARRE MA QODDERA WA QADHI WA A’OUZO BI ILLAHENNAS MIN SHARRE AL-JINNATE WA NNASE AJMAEEN WA SALLAM”
(I seek refuge with the strong ALLAH (SWT) from the deviating Shaytan, and I seek refuge with .....MOHAMMAD (SAWW) from the worst fate and destiny, and I seek refuge with the Lord of mankind from the jinn and human beings)
This prayer will keep you safe from the evil plotting of Shaytan and the devils with him, who are all devils like him.
O Kumail! They use deception, conflict, vanity, devilish insinuations, and pride according to the level of the person’s obedience and disobedience. Therefore, if one is not fully aware of these satanic strategies they will seize him.
OKumail! There is no enemy worse than Shaytan and the devils with him, and nothing can hurt you more than they can. Their wish is for you to be with them tomorrow in Hell when they are being tortured, and they will be in Hell eternally and the flames of Hell will never be reduced.
Part 6
O Kumail! ALLAH (SWT) is angry with those who do not guard themselves from Shaytan and the devils with him by using His name and the name of His PROPHET (SAWW )and the IMAMS (ASWS). ALLAH (SWT) is angry with those who do not seek refuge with Him and with those who do not send ALLAH(SWT)’s blessings on His PROPHET (SAWW) and his FAMILY (ASWS).
O Kumail! The devils will deceive you with themselves, and if that does not work they will deceive you with you. They will beautify your desires to you and they will grant your wishes and your desires.
They will seduce you and make you forget. And then they will order you to commit sins; they will prevent you from performing good deeds; and they will lie to you about ALLAH (SWT). They will make you believe that you are on the right path and you will be seduced. You will commit sins and the punishment for the sinner is Hell.
O Kumail! Memorize these words of ALLAH (SWT) , “Shaytan has beguiled them and given them false hopes” (47:25). Shaytan is a deceiver, but ALLAH (SWT) is the dictator.
O Kumail! Repeat these words that ALLAH (SWT) said to the cursed Shaytan, “Summon against them your cavalry and infantry, and share their riches and children with them, and make promises to them. But Shaytan promises them nothing but deceit” (17:64)
O Kumail! Shaytan does not divert you to himself. He makes you deviate from ALLAH (SWT) and pushes you to disobey ALLAH (SWT) , and then you will be troubled.
Part 7
O Kumail! Shaytan will come to you gently with the best of his tricks and will order you to perform acts of obedience that you enjoy, so you will think he is an honourable angel, but he is really the accursed Shaytan. And once you trust him he will order you to commit the greatest of sins, the sins from which you cannot be saved.
O Kumail! Shaytan creates traps for you. Be careful not to fall in them.
O Kumail! The earth is full of their traps and no one is safe from the traps except those who hold on to us. ALLAH (SWT) has said that no one can survive from the traps except His servants, who are our followers, “As for my devoted servants, you shall have no power over them” (15:42) and “His authority (that of the Shaytan) is only over those who befriend him and associate others with ALLAH (SWT)” (16:100).
O Kumail! Save yourself with our Wilayat or Shaytan will share your riches and your children with you, as ALLAH (SWT) has promised in the Qur’an.
O Kumail! Do not be deceived by those who perform long prayers, fast continuously, or give charity and think that they are successful.
OKumail! I swear to ALLAH (SWT) that I heard the PROPHET (SAWW) say:
When Shaytan orders people to commit great sins like adultery, drinking wine, usury and other similar sins, he also puts the love of extreme worship, submission, RUKU’ (kneeling), and SUJOOD (prostration) in their hearts. And then Shaytan guides them toward those leaders who will lead them to Hell, and there will be no help for them on the Day of Judgement.
Part 8
O Kumail! People either stay on the right path or deviate from it. You only deserve to stay on the right path if you walk the clear and straight road which will not lead you to corruption, the road which will not lead you away from our instructions and that with which we have blessed you.
O Kumail! There is no concession in your WAJIBAAT (mandatory religious duties) and there in no need to overly exert yourself with the MOSTAHABAAT (optional duties).
O Kumail! ALLAH (SWT) will only question you about your mandatory religious duties; the optional duties are there to help with the great terrors on the Day of Judgement.
O Kumail! ALLAH (SWT) is greater than needing your mandatory or optional religious duties or any other good deed or the best of charities; these actions can only benefit you.
O Kumail! Your sins are greater than your good deeds, and your negligence is greater than your glorification of ALLAH (SWT) . But ALLAH(SWT)’s blessings are greater than that which your actions merit.
O Kumail! ALLAH(SWT) ’s blessings never leave you so do not turn away from His praise, glorification, sanctification, remembrance, and thankfulness at all times.
O Kumail! Do not be amongst those about whom ALLAH (SWT) says, “Be not tike those who have forsaken ALLAH (SWT) ” (59:19) “They are the wicked transgressors” (24:4).
Part 9
O Kumail! The point of praying, fasting, and giving charity is not the physical action; it is to do them with a pure heart and with true sincerity while bearing the rules of Fiqh in mind in such a way that ALLAH (SWT) accepts your deeds.
O Kumail! When you are in Ruku’, Sujood, or performing the rest of the actions required in SALAAT (prayer), not only should your heart be focused and devoted to ALLAH (SWT), but even your joints and your veins need to have the same focus and devotion. And this should apply to all of your prayers.
O Kumail! Pay attention to the clothes in which you pray and the place in which you pray because if they do not meet the conditions (of prayer), your prayer will not be accepted.
O Kumail! The tongue reveals that which is in the heart, and the heart survives on food. So watch what you feed your heart and your body, because if your food is not Halaal ALLAH (SWT) will not accept your praise and glorification.
O Kumail! Listen and understand that we do not allow breach of trust. Those who tell you otherwise are not speaking the truth and have committed a sin and deserve Hell for their lie.
I swear that I heard the PROPHET (SAWW) repeat this three times an hour before his death, “O ABAL - HASAN ! Do not breech the trust of the pious nor the immoral in the greatest or the smallest things, even if it is a thread.”
Part 10
O Kumail! Do not go to war except by the order of the just IMAM (ASWS) , and do not perform optional religious duties except by the order of the virtuous Imam (ASWS) .
O Kumail! Do you think the prayers of a pious believer would be accepted without the guidance of ALLAH’s MESSENGER (SAWW)? I swear to ALLAH (SWT) that they would not be accepted.
O Kumail! Religion belongs to ALLAH (SWT). So do not be deceived by the words of this deluded nation who denied us after they were guided and refused to obey us after they accepted us.
O Kumail! Religion belongs to ALLAH (SWT) and He does not allow anyone to announce it except the MESSENGERS (ASWS) , the Prophets (ASWS) , and the Imams (ASWS).
O Kumail! Positions assigned by ALLAH (SWT) are Prophethood and Imamate, and everyone else who claims a position from ALLAH (SWT) is an oppressor, invader, or one who has gone astray.
O Kumail! Christians did not deny ALLAH (SWT) , neither did Jews. They did not even deny Isa or Musa.
O Kumail! What they did was they added, removed, and changed things. By doing so, they denied ALLAH (SWT) , disbelieved, became accursed, resented, and they did not repent. That is why they are not accepted.
O Kumail! ALLAH (SWT) accepts only from the pious ones.
OKumail! Our father, Adam, was not born Jewish or Christian, and his son, Habil, was a righteous Muslim. ALLAH (SWT) did not accept the sacrifice of Qabil because he was not a righteous Muslim. So Qabil envied his brother and killed him. Qabil is one of the twelve prisoners in FALAQ (lowest place in Hell), six of the prisoners will be from the beginning (of time) and six are from the end.
Faalaq is the lowest place in Hell, and the steam of Falaq heats Hell. So avoid those whose steam is the source of the heat of Hell.