Husayn Naghavi

*****

Prophet Muhammad (S) has spoken about various aspects of human life, both worldly and heavenly, and his words are curative prescriptions for the various illnesses of human beings. In addition to the sayings quoted in this paper, he has communicated many others on topics too numerous to mention, and on diverse topics such as women, children, orphans, justice, government, leisure and sport, entertainment, selflessness and sympathy, self-restraint, truthfulness, watchfulness, cheating, oppression, relatives, animals and the environment.

God And Man

إن الله تعالى أرحم بعبده من الوالده المشفقه بولدها

“God's kindness towards His creatures is more than a mother's (kindness) towards her baby.”1

ذكر الله جلاء الصدور

“Remembrance of God is like polish for the heart.”2

أعبد الله كأنك تراه فإن كنت لا تراه فإنه يراك

“Serve God as you would if you could see Him because although you cannot see Him, He can see you.” 3

إن الله تعالى لا ينظر إلى صوركم وأموالكم ولكن ينظر إلى قلوبكم وأعمالكم

“God does not look at your appearance or your possessions, but He looks at your heart and your deeds.” 4

The Faithful

إذا سرتك حسنتك وسأتك سيأتك فأنت مؤمن

A man asked: “O Prophet of God! What is faith?” The Prophet said: “You are a person of faith when your good deed gives you pleasure and your evil deed grieves you.” 5

المؤمن مرآت المؤمن، المؤمن أخ المؤمن

“A believer is like a mirror to another believer. A believer is a brother to another believer.” 6

افضلكم إيمانا أحسنكم أخلاقا

“The most faithful of you are the best mannered.” 7

المؤمن للمؤمن كالبناء يشتد بعضه بعضا

“Believers are like the different parts of a building, each one supporting the other.” 8

مثل المؤمنين في توادهم وتراحمهم كمثل الجسد إذا أشتكى بعضهم تداعى سائرهم بالسهر والحمى

“You will observe that the believers are like parts of the body in relation to each other in matters of kindness, love and affection. When one part of the body is afflicted, the entire body feels it, there is loss of sleep and a fever develops.” 9

The True Muslim

ما أمن بالله واليوم الاخر من بات شبعان وجاره جائع

“The perfect Muslim is not perfect if he eats until he is full and yet leaves his neighbours hungry.” 10

المسلم من سلم المسلمون من يده ولسانه

“A perfect Muslim is the one from whose tongue and hands his fellow brothers and sisters are safe.”11

Wisdom, Knowledge And Thought

رأس الحكمة مخافة الله

“Fearing God is the peak (or source) of wisdom.” 12

لا فقر أشد من الجهل ولا مال أعود من العقل... ولا عبادة مثل التفكر

“Ignorance is the worst kind of poverty, intellectuality is the greatest of riches, and thought is the best form of worship.” 13

أطلبوا العلم ولو بالصين فإن طلب العلم فريضة على كل مسلم

“Seek knowledge even in China because acquiring knowledge is obligatory for every Muslim.”14

طلبوا العلم من المهد إلى اللحد

“Seek knowledge from the cradle to the grave.”15

فيدوا العلم بالكتاب

“Retain knowledge by writing it down (recording it).”16

Society

سئل رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله من احب الناس إلى الله؟ قال: أنفع الناس للناس.

“The best people are those who are the most useful to others.”17

عدل ساعة خير من عبادة سنة

“A moment of justice is better than a year of worship.”18

ملعون من ألقي كله على الناس

“Cursed be he who imposes his burden on people.”19

فضل الجهاد كلمة حق عند سلطان جائر

“The best struggle (jihad) is a just word before a tyrannical authority.”20

Friendship And Love

الوحدة خير من جليس السوء والجليس الصالح خير من الوحدة وأملاء الخير خير من السكوت والسكوت خير من أملاء الشر

“It is better to sit alone than in the company of bad people and it is even better to sit with good people rather than alone. It is better to speak to a seeker of knowledge than to remain silent; but silence is better than idle words.”21

قالوا: يا روح الله فمن نجالس إذا؟ قال: من يذكركم بالله رؤيته ويزيد في علمكم منطقه ويرغبكم في الأخرة عمله

The Prophet of Islam said: “The Apostles said to Jesus: “O Spirit of Allah! With whom should we keep company?” He said: “The person the sight of whom reminds you of God, the speech of whom increases your knowledge and the deeds of whom make you desirous of the other world.”” 22

سبعة يظلهم الله تحت ظل عرشه يوم لا ظل إلا ظله:... ورجلان تحابا في الله...

“Seven people shall be sheltered by God in the Shade of His Throne when there will be no shade except His Shade… and two people that love each other for the sake of God….”23

Family Ties

خيركم خيركم لأهله وأنا خيركم لأهلي

“The best person among you is the one who treats his family members the best and I am the person who treats his family in the best way.”24

أن رسول الله كان يقبل الحسن بن علي عليهما السلام فقال الاقرع بن حابس: أن لي عشرة من الولد ما قبلت أحدا منهم فقال رسول الله (ص): من لا يرحم لا يرحم.

A man once told the Prophet that he had many children but had not kissed any of them. The Prophet (S) replied: “Verily, God will only show mercy to those of His servants who show mercy to others.” 25

أمك أمك ثم أمك ثم أباك ثم الأقرب فالأقرب

A person came to the Messenger of God (S) and asked, “Who among people is most deserving of my good treatment?”' He said, “Your mother, then your mother, then your mother, then your father, then those closest to you, then those closest to you”26

نظر الولد إلى والديه حبا لهم عبادة

“A child’s affectionate look at their parents is a form of worship.”27

الجنة تحت أقدام الأمهات

“Paradise is under the feet of mothers.”28

Equality Of Human Beings

أيها الناس إن ربكم واحد وأن أباكم واحد، كلكم لآدم وآدم من تراب إن أكرمكم عند الله أتقاكم

“The God of all people is the same and the father of all people is the same. All of you are children of Adam and Adam was made from earth. The most honourable of you in God’s estimation is the most pious.”29

أنظر فإنك لست بخير من أحمر ولا أسود إلا أن تفضله بتقوى

“Be careful because you are not better than people who are a different color, unless you are better in piety.”30

Neighbours

ما زال جبريل يوصيني بالجار حتى ظننت أنه سيورثه

“Gabriel (the Angel of Revelation) is always instructing me about neighbours, so much so that I think that neighbours may inherit from their neighbours.”31

لا يدخل الجنة عبد لا يأمن جاره بواغيه.

“The person whose neighbour is not safe from his bad behaviour will not enter Heaven.”32

Peace

واعف عمن ظلمك وصل من قطعك وأحسن إلى من أساء اليك وقل الحق ولو على نفسك.

“Forgive him who wrongs you, re-unite with him who cuts you off, do good to him who does you harm and speak the truth although it may be to your disadvantage.”33

ألا أخبركم بأفضل من درجة الصيام والصلاة والصدقة؟ صلاح ذات البين فإن فساد ذات البين هي الحالقة

“Do you know what is better than charity, fasting, and prayer? It is keeping peace and good relations between people, as quarrels and bad feelings destroy mankind.”34

Good Conduct And Morality

تقبلوا إلى بست أتقبل لكم بالجنة إذا تحدثتم فلا تكذبوا وإذا وعدتم فلا تخلفوا وإذا ائتمنتم فلا تخونوا وغضوا أبصاركم واحفظوا فروجكم وكفوا أيديكم وألسنتكم

“If you guarantee me six things on your part, I shall guarantee you Paradise: Speak the truth when you talk, keep a promise when you make it, when you are trusted with something fulfil your trust, avoid sexual immorality, lower your gaze (out of modesty) and prevent your hands and tongue from committing injustice.”35

خير الناس أحسنهم خلقا

“The best people are the best mannered.”36

ليس شيء أثقل في الميزان من الخلق الحسن

“On the Day of Resurrection nothing will weigh heavier in the scale of the believer than good manners.”37

أحثوا التراب في وجوه المداحين

“When you see flatterers, throw dust in their faces.”38

الراحمون يرحمهم الرحمن تبارك وتعالى إرحموا من في الأرض يرحمكم من في السماء

“Whoever is kind, God will be kind to him; therefore, be kind to man on earth. He Who is in heaven will then show mercy to you.”39

صلى رسول الله (ص) بالناس الظهر فخفف في الركعتين الأخيرتين . فلما انصرف قال له الناس: هل حدث في الصلاة حدث؟... فقال لهم: أما سمعتم صراخ الصبي؟

If Prophet Muhammad (S) heard the crying of a child in the company of its mother during prayer, he would recite only a short chapter of the Holy Qur'an (in order to finish the prayer more quickly and let the mother comfort her child).40

حب الدنيا رأس كل خطيئة

“Love of this world (dunya) is the origin of every sin.”41

Control Of Anger

أن الغضب من الشيطان وأن الشيطان خلق من النار وإنما تطفأ النار بالماء فإذا غضب أحدكم فليتوضأ

“Anger is like the devil. The devil has been created from fire and fire is extinguished by water. Therefore, when any of you feels angry, you should perform ablution”.42

ثلاث من اخلاق الإيمان: من إذا غضب لم يدخله غضبه في الباطل ومن إذا رضي لم يخرجه رضاه من الحق ومن إذا قدر لم يتعاط ما ليس له.

“Three things are part of the good morals of a believer. When he is overcome by anger, his anger should not drive him to falsehood. When he is happy, his happiness should not take him beyond the bounds of what is right. When he has power, he should not stake a claim to something which is not his.”43

Modesty

الحياء لا يأتي إلا بخير.

“Modesty (haya) does not bring anything except good.”44

إن الله أوحى إلي أن تواضعوا حتى لا يفخر أحد على أحد ولا يبغي أحد على أحد

“God has revealed to me that you must be humble. No one should boast over another, and no one should oppress another.”45

ذا لم تستحيي فاصنع ما شئت

“If someone does not feel ashamed of anything, then he is likely to do whatever he likes.”46

Patience

عجبا لأمر المؤمن، إن أمره كله خير وليس ذلك لأحد إلا المؤمن إن أصابته سراء شكر وكان خيرا له وإن أصابته ضراء صبر وكان خير له

“How wonderful is the situation of a believer. There is good for him in everything and this applies only to a believer. If prosperity comes to him, he expresses gratitude to God and that is good for him; and if adversity befalls him, he endures it patiently and that is better for him.” 47

إعلم أن النصر مع الصبر

“Understand that victory comes to the one who is patient.”48

The Golden Rule

لا يؤمن عبد حتى يحب لأخيه ما يحب لنفسه من الخير

“None of you (truly) believes until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself.”49

Harmfulness Of Envy

أن الحسد ليأكل الحسنات كما تأكل النار الحطب

“Truly, envy eats up and takes away good deeds as fire eats up and burns wood.”50

Bibliography

‘Amili, Sayyed Muhammad b. Muhammad b. Hasan, Ithna ‘Ashariyyah fi al-Mawa‘iz al-‘Adadiyyah, (Qum: Hekmah Publication, without date.)

Harrani, Abu Muhammed al-Hasan b. Ali (2001), Tuhaf al-‘Uqul, Trans. by Badr Shahin, (Qum: Ansariyan Publications)

Kulayni, Muhammad (1379 A.H), Al-Furu‘ Min al-Kafi, (Tehran: Dar al-Kutub al-Islamiyah)

Kulayni, Muhammad (1388 A.H), Usul al-Kafi (Tehran: Dar al- Kutub al-Islamiyah)

Majlisi, Muhammad Baqir (1983), Bihar al-Anwar (Beirut: Al-Wafa)

Nishaburi, Muhammad b. al-Fattal (1386), Rawdat al-Wa‘izin

(Qum: al-Sharif al-Razi Publications)

Payande, Abulqasim (1337), Nahj al-Fasahah, (Tehran: al- Islamiyya Publication)

Waseti, Ali b. Muhammad al-Laysi (1376), ‘Uyun al-Hikam wa al-Mawa‘iz, (Qum: Dar al-Hadith)

---

• 1. Rawdat al-Wa‘izin, p. 503.
• 2. ‘Uyun al-Hikam wa al-Mawa‘iz, p. 256.
• 3. Nahj al-Fasahah, Tradition 335.
• 4. Nahj al-Fasahah, Tradition 719.
• 5. Nahj al-Fasahah, Tradition 215 and Ithna ‘Ashariyya fi al-Mawa‘iz al-‘Adadiyyah, p. 10.
• 6. Ithna ‘Ashariyya fi al-Mawa‘iz al-‘Adadiyya, p. 8
• 7. Nahj al-Fasahah, Tradition 420, and Tuhaf al-‘Uqul, Tradition 69.
• 8. Ithna ‘Ashariyyah fi al-Mawa‘iz al-‘Adadiyyah, p. 8
• 9. Nahj al-Fasaha, Tradition 2712. This tradition is narrated from Imam Sadiq in Usul al-Kafi, Vol. 2, p. 133 like this:
  المؤمن أخو المؤمن كالجسد الواحد، أن اشتكى شيئا منه وجد ألم ذلك في سائر جسده
• 10. Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 75, p. 273
• 11. Ithna‘Ashariyyah fi al-Mawa‘iz al-‘Adadiyyah, p. 8
• 12. Ithna‘Ashariyyah fi al-Mawa‘iz al-‘Adadiyyah, p. 8
• 13. Nahj al-Fasahah, Tradition 2505.
• 14. Nahj al-Fasahah, Tradition 324.
• 15. أ Nahj al-Fasahah, Tradition 327.
• 16. Tuhaf al-‘Uqul, Tradition 8 and Ithna ‘Ashariyyah, p. 14.
• 17. Usul al-Kafi, Vol. 2, p. 131.
• 18. Nahj al-Fasahah, Tradition 1936.
• 19. Tuhaf al-‘Uqul, Tradition 19.
• 20. أ Nahj al-Fasahah, Tradition 394.
• 21. Nahj al-Fasahah, Tradition 3194.
• 22. Tuhaf al-‘Uqul, Tradition 60.
• 23. Tradition 1731 & 1732. The Prophet also said: "If a man loves his brother in faith, he should tell him that he loves him." (Nahj al-Fasahah, Tradition 1520).
• 24. Nahj al-Fasahah, Tradition 1520.
• 25. Rawdat al-Wa‘izin, p. 369.
• 26. Nahj al-Fasahah, Tradition 546.
• 27. Tuhaf al-‘Uqul, Tradition 79.
• 28. Ithna ‘Ashariyyah fi al-Mawa‘iz al-‘Adadiyyah, p. 8.
• 29. Nahj al-Fasahah, Tradition 1044.
• 30. Nahj al-Fasahah, Tradition 562.
• 31. Nahj al-Fasahah, Tradition 2640.
• 32. Ithna ‘Ashariyyah, p. 15.
• 33. Nahj al-Fasahah, Tradition 1842 and Usul al-Kafi, Vol. 2, p. 87.
• 34. Nahj al-Fasahah, Tradition 458.
• 35. Ithna ‘Ashariyyah, p. 226.
• 36. Nahj al-Fasahah, Tradition 1498. See also No 7.
• 37. Nahj al-Fasahah, Tradition 2397.
• 38. Nahj al-Fasahah, Tradition 91.
• 39. Nahj al-Fasahah, Tradition 1679 and Ithna ‘Ashariyyah, p. 14.
• 40. Al-Furu‘ Min al-Kafi, Vol. 6, p. 48
• 41. Nahj al-Fasahah, Tradition 1342.
• 42. Nahj al-Fasahah, Tradition 660.
• 43. Nahj al-Fasahah, Tradition 1267.
• 44. Nahj al-Fasahah, Tradition 1426 and Ithna ‘Ashariyyah, p. 8.
• 45. Nahj al-Fasahah, Tradition 678.
• 46. إ Nahj al-Fasahah, Tradition 238.
• 47. Nahj al-Fasahah, Tradition 1932.
• 48. Nahj al-Fasahah, Tradition 363.
• 49. Ithna ‘Ashariyyah, p. 15.
• 50. Ithna ‘Ashariyyah, p. 17.