Imam Muhammad ibn Ali [a]
465 sayings · page 10 of 12
Know that the earliest time is always the best, so hasten to perform good whenever you can. The most beloved acts in the eyes of Allah, Mighty and Exalted, are those that the servant performs regularly, even though they be few in number
al-Kafi, v. 3, p. 274, no. 8; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 724 · permalink
Prayer is the pillar of religion and its likeness is as the likeness of the pillar of a tent. If the pillar is stably fixed, the pegs and the ropes remain stable, but if the pillar inclines and breaks, neither peg nor rope remains fixed
al-Mahasin, v. 1, p. 116, no. 117; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 714 · permalink
The first thing that the servant will have to account for is his prayer if accepted, all else will be accepted
al-Kafi, v. 3, p. 268, no. 4; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 716 · permalink
Prayer reinforces sincerity and eliminates pride
Amali al-Tusi, p. 296, no. 582; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 716 · permalink
When Ali b. al-Husayn (AS) used to stand in his prayer, he was as straight as a tree trunk, and no part of him moved except for that which the wind caused to move
al-Kafi, v. 3, p. 300, no. 4; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 718 · permalink
Verily the enjoinment of good and the prohibition of wrong is the path of the prophets, the way of the righteous, a great obligation on which all other obligations are founded and on which ideologies are secured, by which earnings are made lawful, by which iniquities are redressed, through which the earth flourishes, justice is sought from enemies and [Allah's] command is kept upright.
al-Kafi, v. 5, p. 56, no. 1; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 264 · permalink
Allah, the Exalted, brings trial to the believer like a man brings his family a gift upon his return from a trip; and He denies him this world like a doctor puts a patient on diet
al-Kafi, v. 2, p. 255, no. 17; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 658 · permalink
When Allah, Blessed and most High, wants to honour a servant who has previously committed a sin, He tries him with illness, and if not with that then with need. And if not with that, then He makes his death difficult. But when He wants to humiliate a servant who has done some good previously, He makes his body healthy, or makes his sustenance abundant, or makes his death easy
A`alam al-Din, no. 433; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 660 · permalink
The more faith a servant attains, the harder his life becomes.
Jami`a al-Akhbar, p. 314, no. 874; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 661 · permalink
A man is tested according to the level of his love [for Allah].
Bihar al-Anwar, v. 67, p. 236, no. 54; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 661 · permalink
Only that part of your prayer in which you engaged with your full attention is accepted. So if one is inattentive in all of it or careless in his performance of it, that same prayer is crumpled up and thrown back at his face
Bihar al-Anwar, v. 84, p. 260, no. 59; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 721 · permalink
Do not stand for prayer lazily, drowsily or sluggishly for verily these are from among the disturbances brought about by hypocrisy, and verily Allah has prohibited the believers from standing for prayer while they are intoxicated, which means when intoxicated by sleep
Tafsir al-`Ayyashi, v. 1, p. 242, no. 134; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 723 · permalink
Do not neglect your prayer, for verily the Prophet (SAWA) said while he was on his death bed, 'The one who takes his prayer lightly is not of me
al-Kafi, v. 3, p. 269, no. 7; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 725 · permalink
Allah means the One who is worshipped and by Whom people are too bewildered to comprehend His essence and to fathom His identity.
al-Tawhid, p. 89, no. 2; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 94 · permalink
Pilgrimage calms the hearts.
Amali al-Tusi, p. 296, no. 582; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 388 · permalink
The pilgrimage is completed by meeting the Imam.
Uyoun Akhbar al-Reza (AS), v. 2, p. 262, no. 29; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 390 · permalink
Indeed people have been ordered to come to these stones [i.e. the edifice of the Ka`aba] to circumambulate them, and then to come to us to inform us of their friendship, and to declare their support for us.
Uyoun Akhbar al-Reza (AS), no. 30; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 390 · permalink
The pilgrim to this House is of no worth unless he has three attributes: piety that restrains him from acts of disobedience to Allah, most High; clemency with which he controls his anger; and good companionship with whoever accompanies him.
al-Khisal, p. 148, no. 180; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 392 · permalink
When a man accumulates wealth from prohibited sources, neither his obligatory pilgrimage (Hajj) nor his voluntary pilgrimage (`umra) nor his maintaining kinship will be accepted from him, and it even spoils marriage
Amali al-Tusi, p. 680, no. 1447; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 738 · permalink
Im?m Muhammad ibn 'Al? al-Baqir (a.s.) said about a man who had ordered another man to kill someone, which he had done 'He who killed him must be killed, and he who ordered the killing must be imprisoned until he dies.'
al-Kafi, v. 7, p. 285, no. 1; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 427 · permalink
It is the duty of a believer towards a fellow believer to conceal seventy of his grave sins!
al-Kafi, v. 2, p. 207, no. 8; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 314 · permalink
Allah, the Exalted, is too merciful to coerce His servants to sin and then punish them for it. He is also too mighty to want something and it not be accomplished.' Then they were asked whether there is a stance between free will and predestination, to which they replied, 'Yes, [a stance] wider than the space between the earth and the sky
al-Tawhid, p. 360, no. 3; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 729 · permalink
Beware of procrastination for verily it is the sea in which losers drown
Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 164, no. 1; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 736 · permalink
Im?m Muhammad ibn 'Al? al-Baqir (a.s.) said with regards to Allah's verse in the Qur'an [addressing the Prophet (SAWA)]: "Soon your Lord will give you [that with which] you will be pleased"[ Qur'an 93:5], '(This is) intercession, by Allah it is intercession, by Allah it is intercession.'
Bihar al-Anwar, v. 8, p. 57, no. 72; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 479 · permalink
A man called Abu Ayman once came to Imam al-Baqir (AS) saying, 'O Abu Ja`afar, you delude people by saying, 'Muhammad's intercession [will help you], Muhammad's intercession!' At this, the Imam (AS) got so angry that his face was glowering, and said, 'Woe betide you Abu Ayman! If your belly and your private parts keep you away from sin, does that mean they delude you? You would only have to see the atrocities of the Day of Resurrection to need Muhammad (SAWA)'s intercession. Woe unto you! In any case, do you think that he will only intercede for those whose punishment in the Fire is obligatory?!' Then he continued, saying, 'Every single person, from the first to the last, will need the intercession of Muhammad (SAWA) on the Day of Resurrection.'
Bihar al-Anwar, v. 8, p. 38, no. 16; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 480 · permalink
Verily Allah, Blessed and most High, existed when nothing else did, He is light not darkness, truthful with no falsehood about Him, all-knowing with no ignorance about Him, ever-living with no death about Him, and He is such today, and thus will He remain forever.'
al-Tawhid, p. 141, no. 5; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 448 · permalink
He always knows what is to be, such that His knowledge of it before its coming into being is the same as His knowledge after its coming into being.
al-Kafi, v. 1, p. 107, no. 2; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 449 · permalink
Faith is to attest and to act, whereas Islam is to attest without action.
Tuhaf al-`Uqoul, no. 297; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 283 · permalink
Before Prophet Noah (AS), they [mankind] were a single community upon the fitra [The special origination or innate nature deposited in man by Allah which calls him to his Creator (ed.)] of Allah, neither guided nor in error, thereafter Allah sent the prophets.
Nur al-Thaqalayn, v. 1, p. 209, no. 784; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 243 · permalink
Everything that the sun shines on becomes purified.
Wasael al-Shi`aah, v. 2, p. 1043, no. 6; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 756 · permalink
We found the following written in the book of the Prophet (SAWA): When the alms-tax is withheld, the earth withholds all its yield of plants, fruits and minerals.
al-Kafi, v. 2, p. 374, no. 2; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 98 · permalink
He who refuses to pay the alms-tax, on the Day of Resurrection Allah will transform his wealth into a cobra with two venom glands that will coil itself around him and be told, 'Tighten your grip on him just as he was tight-fisted with you in the world.' This is in accordance with Allah's verse in the Qur'an: "They will be collared with what they grudge " Qur'an 3:180
Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 99 · permalink
Verily the example of one who is in need from someone who has recently attained wealth is that of a dirham [coin] in the mouth of a viper. You are in need of it but at the same time you are in danger of the viper.
Tuhaf al-`Uqoul, no. 294; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 631 · permalink
Imam al-Baqir (AS) in his discourse about the visitation (ziyara) of al-Husayn (AS) on the day of Aashura, be it from near or far, said, 'Then let him mourn for al-Husayn (AS) and weep over him, and let him enjoin weeping for him on others in his house who are not in a state of dissimulation, and they should condole with each other for their bereavement of al-Husayn (AS). I [i.e. the narrator] asked, 'How should they condole with each other' to which he replied, 'They should say 'May Allah make our reward great for our bereavement of al-Husayn, and place us and you among those who avenge his blood with his representative, the Imam Mahdi from the family of Muhammad, peace be upon them
Misbah al-Mutahajjid, p. 772; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 65 · permalink
Imam al-Baqir (AS), with regards to the Qur'anic verse: "Except the ones who are deemed weak ", said, 'This refers to one who is not capable of disbelieving that he may be considered a disbeliever, though neither has he been guided the path of faith that he may have faith. [It also refers to] children, and those people from among men and women who have intellects of children and who are therefore not accountable for their deeds
Ma`ani al-Akhbar, p. 201, no. 4; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 67 · permalink
There are three things which the servant will not be asked about: the cloth he used to cover his private parts, the piece of bread he used to sate his hunger with, and the house that used to protect him from the heat and the cold.
Nur al-Thaqalayn, v. 5, p. 665, no. 26; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 70 · permalink
Every eye will cry on the Day of Judgment except for three: an eye that stayed up [in worship] for the sake of Allah, an eye that filled with tears out of fear of Allah, and an eye that looked away from things prohibited by Allah.
Bihar al-Anwar, v. 7, p. 195, no. 62; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 989 · permalink
Im?m Muhammad ibn 'Al? al-Baqir (a.s.), when he was asked by Abu Basir regarding the words of Allah's verse, "and he who is given wisdom " said, 'It [wisdom] is obedience to Allah and true knowledge of the Imm.'
Bihar al-Anwar, v. 1, p. 251, no. 22; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 992 · permalink
A believer is the brother of another believer [as if] from his own mother and father.
al-Kafi, v. 2, p. 166, no. 2 and 7; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 148 · permalink
A man passed through the mosque, where Abu Ja'far and Abu 'Abdullah [Imam al-Baqir and Imam al-Sadiq (AS)] were seated, when one of the people present said, 'By Allah, I like this man.' Abu Ja'far replied, 'Then let him know, for this will maintain the amity and enhance the affection.'
Bihar al-Anwar, v. 74, p. 181, no. 1; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 152 · permalink
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