Shiite Characteristics
20 sayings
: "Once a group of people started walking behind Ameer al-Momineen (a.s). He asked them who they were. They said that they were his followers. He asked them why they did not have the signs of his followers. They asked him what the signs of the Shiites are. He said: "Paleness due to shortage of sleep, being slim due to fasting, dried lips due to extensive praying and humbleness."
Mishkat ul-Anwar, Section 2 On Shiites: Their Signs, and Manners Chapter 1 On Shiite Characteristics, Hadees 282 link
"Ali's follower is one who is careful about what he eats and guards his honor, is hard-working, works for his Creator and expects his rewards from Him, and fears His chastisement. When you see such people, they are my followers also."
Mishkat ul-Anwar, Section 2 On Shiites: Their Signs, and Manners Chapter 1 On Shiite Characteristics, Hadees 283 link
"Three acts perfect good deeds: rushing in performing them, hiding them, and not making a big deal out of them. Good deeds are pleasant if done fast. They are important if one does not make a big deal out of them. They are perfect if they are done in secret."
Mishkat ul-Anwar, Section 2 On Shiites: Their Signs, and Manners Chapter 1 On Shiite Characteristics, Hadees 284 link
"There are some servants of Allah on the Earth who struggle to fulfill the needs of other people. They will be saved on the Resurrection Day."
Mishkat ul-Anwar, Section 2 On Shiites: Their Signs, and Manners Chapter 1 On Shiite Characteristics, Hadees 285 link
: "How good it is for an eloquent person to be silent! There are instances of slip of the tongue in talking that might cause one's failure."
Mishkat ul-Anwar, Section 2 On Shiites: Their Signs, and Manners Chapter 1 On Shiite Characteristics, Hadees 286 link
"There are some servants of Allah who are eloquent, wise and knowledgeable but their hearts are filled with the fear of Allah and have stopped talking. They compete with each other in doing good deeds to approach Allah. They do not overestimate their deeds, and do not get pleased with the small amount of good deeds that they perform. Although they are intelligent and good people, they consider themselves to be wicked people."
Mishkat ul-Anwar, Section 2 On Shiites: Their Signs, and Manners Chapter 1 On Shiite Characteristics, Hadees 287 link
"Allah will humiliate anyone who humiliates a believer due to his being poor. He will remain in such a state until he repents." He also said: "On the Resurrection Day believers will be proud."
Mishkat ul-Anwar, Section 2 On Shiites: Their Signs, and Manners Chapter 1 On Shiite Characteristics, Hadees 288 link
It has been narrated that the Prophet of Allah (a.s) entered the House of Allah accompanied by Fazl ibn Abbas and Usamat ibn Zayd the year he conquered Mecca. When he left that House, he held the door knob in his hands and said "Praise be to Allah who fulfilled His promise and acknowledged His servant, and conquered all the parties alone. Allah removed all the Arab's hatred and arrogance due to their lineage. You are all the children of Adam, and Adam was made of clay. The noblest one among you is the most pious one."
Mishkat ul-Anwar, Section 2 On Shiites: Their Signs, and Manners Chapter 1 On Shiite Characteristics, Hadees 289 link
Imam Baqir (a.s) asked Jabir: "Does it suffice for one who claims to be our follower to just express his friendship with the members of the Holy Household? I swear by Allah that no one is our true follower unless he fears Allah and obeys Him. Our followers are known for their humbleness and frequent remembrance of Allah; fasting; praying; helping the orphans, the needy, the ones in debt and needy neighbors; reading the Quran; and talking properly with the people. They have always been trustworthy in their tribes." Jabir asked: "O' Grandson of the Prophet! I do not know anybody with these traits. Do not let the various sects affect you. Do you think that it suffices for one to say that he likes Imam Ali (a.s) and he is his follower, but does not do anything to support his claim? Or he says that he likes the Prophet, who is even better than Imam Ali (a.s), but does not take his example and follow his deeds and act according to the Prophet's tradition. Just having love for the Prophet (a.s) is of no use for him. Therefore fear Allah, and act in such a way as to attain what is near Allah, since there is no relation of kin between Allah and anyone. The one most loved by Allah is the one who is the most pious, and the noblest one is the one who fears Allah and obeys Him. I swear by Allah that it is not possible to get close to Allah unless by His obedience, and we do not hold the key to relief from the Fire of Hell, and no one has any authority over Allah. Whoever is obedient to Allah is our friend, and whoever disobeys Allah is our enemy. No one can attain our friendship unless by having nobility and piety."
Mishkat ul-Anwar, Section 2 On Shiites: Their Signs, and Manners Chapter 1 On Shiite Characteristics, Hadees 290 link
"Lean on the mid-sized cushion[14] so that those who have gone too far return and those who have been too slow reach you. By Allah, O' followers of the family of Muhammad! Beware that there are no relations of kin between Allah and us and we have no authority over Allah. One cannot get close to Allah except by obeying Him. Our friendship is useful for those who obey Allah, and is useless for those who are disobedient to Him. Amr said that the Imam (a.s) then turned around, faced them and said: "Do not be fooled, and do not accuse[15]." Amr asked: "What is meant by the mid-sized cushion?" The Imam (a.s) said: "Have you not noticed that when a group of people enter a house in which there are a variety of cushions, they choose the mid-sized ones to lean on and rest?"
Mishkat ul-Anwar, Section 2 On Shiites: Their Signs, and Manners Chapter 1 On Shiite Characteristics, Hadees 291 link
"I advise you to be careful about what you say and guard your honor."
Mishkat ul-Anwar, Section 2 On Shiites: Their Signs, and Manners Chapter 1 On Shiite Characteristics, Hadees 292 link
: "Those who possess knowledge are the ones who are trustworthy. The pious people are the ones who strictly guard the religion, and the ones who act according to religious decrees are the masters of religion."
Mishkat ul-Anwar, Section 2 On Shiites: Their Signs, and Manners Chapter 1 On Shiite Characteristics, Hadees 293 link
Imam Sadiq (a.s) quoted on the authority of Allah's Prophet (a.s): "Whoever recognizes Allah and His Grandeur will shut his mouth up. He will neither talk nor eat. He will fast and stay up at night to pray." They asked him: "O' Prophet of Allah! May our parents be your devoted servants! Are they Allah's saints?" He said: "Allah's saints are quiet, and their silence is in remembrance of Allah. They look, and their looking is to learn a lesson. They talk, and their sayings are words of wisdom. They walk around, and their walking is a blessing for the people. If their life was not predestined for them, their souls would leave their bodies from the fear of divine chastisement and the eagerness for receiving divine rewards."
Mishkat ul-Anwar, Section 2 On Shiites: Their Signs, and Manners Chapter 1 On Shiite Characteristics, Hadees 294 link
"Ameer al-Momineen (a.s) said his morning prayer, sat in his place of prayer and waited until the sun started to rise. Then he faced the people and said: "I swear by Allah that I saw some people who stood up in prayer and prostrated in Allah's worship all night long, and pressed their knees and foreheads against the floor as if they heard the blazing Fire of Hell, and would shake like trees whenever they were reminded of Allah, as if they had been in ignorance." Imam Zayn al-Abedin (a.s) continued: "Then Ameer al-Momineen (a.s) stood up and was never seen to laugh again until he died."
Mishkat ul-Anwar, Section 2 On Shiites: Their Signs, and Manners Chapter 1 On Shiite Characteristics, Hadees 295 link
"The true followers of Imam Ali (a.s) are those who donate from their wealth to each other due to our friendship; become friends with each other due to our friendship; do not act oppressively if they get angry; do not waste things when they are pleased. They are blessings for their neighbors; and are a source of comfort and convenience for their associates."
Mishkat ul-Anwar, Section 2 On Shiites: Their Signs, and Manners Chapter 1 On Shiite Characteristics, Hadees 296 link
Muhzam said that once he went to see Imam Sadiq (a.s) and he talked about Shiites. The Imam (a.s) said: "O' Muhzam! Our true follower is one whose voice will not pass through his ears and leave his body and reach someone else . He does not like our enemies, and is not the enemy of our friends. He does not associate with those who boast about us, does not bark like dogs, and is not greedy like crows. He does not ask anyone for anything even if he is starving to death. He is aloof. If our follower's houses are distant from each other, their words are not. If they are absent, no one will look for them; and if they are present, no one will pay any attention to them. If they propose marriage, no one will marry off their daughters to them. They leave this world with their desires still in their hearts. If they see a believer, they will respect him. If they see an infidel, they will abandon him. If a needy person comes to see them, they will have mercy upon him and help him by using their own property." Then he added: "O' Muhzam! My grandfather, the Prophet of Allah told Ali: 'O' Ali! One who thinks that he likes me and does not like you is a liar. I am the city, and you are its gate. How can anyone enter a city without going through its gate?"
Mishkat ul-Anwar, Section 2 On Shiites: Their Signs, and Manners Chapter 1 On Shiite Characteristics, Hadees 297 link
It has been narrated that Muhammad ibn Nabik narrated on the authority of Abu Abdullah Ja'far ibn Muhammad ibn Muqbal al-Qumi on the authority of abul-Hassan Ali ibn Muhammad al-Za'edi al-Basri on the authority of al-Hassan ibn Sa'd on the authority of al-Haysam ibn Vaqed al-Jazri on the authority of Muhzam: "Muhzam said that once he went to see Imam Sadiq (a.s) and he talked about Shiites. The Imam (a.s) said: "O' Muhzam! Our true follower is one whose voice will not pass through his ears and leave his body and reach someone else . He does not like our enemies, and is not the enemy of our friends. He does not associate with those who boast about us, does not bark like dogs, and is not greedy like crows. He does not ask anyone for anything even if he is starving to death" then it is continued: Muhzam said: "May I be your devoted servant! Where can I find them?" Then Imam Sadiq (a.s) said "Look for them on the Earth. They live a simple life. They move about from one town to another. They do not get in fights often. No one will visit them if they get ill. No one will follow their corpse in their funeral processions when they die. If an ignorant person addresses them, they will greet him. They are not restless when it is time for them to die. They help others with their property. If a needy person comes to see them, they will have mercy upon him and give him from what they own. Their hearts are not separate from each other even if their towns are." Then he said: "Allah's Prophet (a.s) said: 'O' Ali! Whoever says that he thinks he likes me, but is your enemy is a liar."
Mishkat ul-Anwar, Section 2 On Shiites: Their Signs, and Manners Chapter 1 On Shiite Characteristics, Hadees 297 link
Meysareh narrated that Imam Baqir (a.s) said: "O' Meysareh! Do you want me to tell you about our followers?" He said: "May I be your devoted servant! Yes." "They are like strong castles in faithful hearts. They have strong ideas. They do not hide the truth. They are not vain and ostentatious people. They are worshippers at nighttime and courageous like a lion during the daytime."
Mishkat ul-Anwar, Section 2 On Shiites: Their Signs, and Manners Chapter 2 On Signs of the Shiites, Hadees 298 link
"Imam Ali's (a.s) followers are slim and their lips are dry due to frequent mentioning and praise of Allah in His remembrance."
Mishkat ul-Anwar, Section 2 On Shiites: Their Signs, and Manners Chapter 2 On Signs of the Shiites, Hadees 299 link
"Indeed the companions of Imam Ali (a.s) were trustworthy and trusted by the tribes. The people were pleased with them. They used to stay up at night for worshipping, and were bright sources (of guidance) in the daytime."
Mishkat ul-Anwar, Section 2 On Shiites: Their Signs, and Manners Chapter 2 On Signs of the Shiites, Hadees 300 link
Shown with the book and page each saying is taken from. The collection carries no grading, and the English is the compiler’s. All subjects