Kitāb al-Muʾmin

31 - عن أبي الصباح قال: كنت عند أبي عبد الله (ع)، فشكى إليه رجل، فقال: عقني ولدي وأخوتي وجفاني إخواني، فقال أبو عبد الله (ع): إنّ للحقِّ دولةً، وللباطلِ دولة، وكلُّ واحد منهما ذليلٌ في دولة صاحبه. وإنّ أدنى ما يُصيب المؤمنَ في دولة الباطلِ أن يعقّه وِلدُه وإخوتُه ويجفوه إخوانُه. وما من مؤمن يُصيب رفاهيةً في دولة الباطل إلاّ ابتُليَ في بدنه أو ماله أو أهله، حتىّ يخلّصه الله تعالى من السّعةِ التي كان أصابها في دولة الباطل، ليؤخَّرَ به حظّه في دولة الحق، فاصبروا وأبشِروا.

31. It has been narrated that Abu al-Sabah reported: I was with Abu 'Abd Allah (a.s) when a man complained to him saying, 'My son and my brothers have cut themselves off from me and my (fellow Muslim) brothers have (also) alienated themselves from me.' 'Truth (haqq) has a dynasty,' replied Abu 'Abd Allah (a.s), 'and so does falsehood (batil). And in each one of them, the other is disgraced. During the rule of falsehood, the least affliction that befalls a believer is that his sons and brothers break ties with him and his (fellow Muslim) brothers abandon him. And if a believer experiences a life of ease and comfort in the dynasty of falsehood, he will be afflicted in his physical body, wealth or family until Allah purifies him of the luxury that he had acquired in order that his share may thereby be reserved in the dynasty of truth. Therefore be patient and rejoice.”

32 - عن علي بن الحسين وأبي جعفر (ع) قالا إنّ المؤمنَ ليُقال لروحِه - وهو يُغسّلُ -: أيسُرُّكِ أن تردّي إلى الجسدِ الذي كنتِ فيه؟ فتقول: ما أصنعُ بالبلاء والخسران والغم؟

32. It has been narrated that 'Ali ibn Al-Husayn and Abu Ja'far (a.s) said: The soul of a (dead) believer is asked - when it is being washed (for funeral), 'Would it please you to be returned to the body that you resided in?' It would reply, 'What am I to do with (more) afflictions, loss and grief?'

33 - وعن أبي جعفر (ع) قال: قال رسول الله (ص): يقول الله (جلّ جلاله) يا دُنيا، مُرّي على عبدي المؤمنِ بأنواع البلايا وما هو فيه من أمرِ دنياه وضيّقي عليه في معيشته ولا تحلولي له فيسكن إليك.

33. It has been narrated that Abu Ja'far (a.s) said that the Messenger of Allah (a.s) said: Allah [M.G] says: O World! Visit My believing servant with all kinds of afflictions in what he is preoccupied with in his worldly affairs and strain his means of livelihood and do not be lax with him lest he seeks refuge in you.

34 - عن الصباح بن سيابة قال: قلت لأبي عبد الله (ع): ما أصاب المؤمن من بلاء فبذنب؟ قال لا، ولكنْ ليَسمعَ أنينَه وشكواه ودعاءَه الذي يُكتب له بالحسنات وتحُطّ عنه السيئاتُ وتدَّخرُ له يوم القيامة.

34. Al-Sabbah ibn Siyabah narrated: I asked Abu 'Abd Allah (a.s), 'The affliction that befalls a believer is it because of a sin?' 'No,' he replied, 'It is so that He (Allah) may hear his wails and complaints and supplications for which good deeds are recorded for him and misdeeds are wiped out from him, and a treasure is amassed for him for the Day of Resurrection.

35 - وعن أبي عبد الله (ع) أنه قال إنَّ الله (جلّ جلاله) لَيعتذرُ إلى عبده المحوج الّذي كان في الدنيا كما يعتذر الأخُ إلى أخيه، فيقول: لا وعزّتي وجلالي ما أفقرتُك لهوانٍ كان بك عليَّ، فارفع هذا الغطاءَ فانظر ما عوّضتُك من الدنيا. فيُكشفُ له فيَنظرُ ما عوّضه الله (جلّ جلاله) من الدنيا، فيقول: ما ضرَّني يا ربُّ مع ما عوَّضتَني.

35. It has been narrated that Abu 'Abd Allah (a.s) said: Allah [M.G] speaks apologetically to his destitute (believing) servant in this world - like a brother explaining himself to a brother - saying, 'Nay, I swear by My Might and My Glory, I did not impoverish you to disgrace you. Raise this veil and look at what I have given you in compensation for this world.' So, when the veil is removed for him and he sees what Allah has substituted for him in exchange for this world, he will exclaim, 'I have not been harmed, O Lord, seeing what You have given me in exchange.

36 - وعن أبي عبد الله (ع) أنه قال نِعمَ الجُرعةُ الغيظ لمَن صَبرَ عَليها، فإنّ عظيمَ الأجر لمَعَ عظيمِ البلاءِ، وما أحبَّ اللهُ قوماً إلاّ ابتَلاهم.

36. It has been narrated that Abu 'Abd Allah (a.s) said: The best of 'gulps' is anger that is swallowed despite being unbearable; for the greatest reward comes with the greatest affliction. Allah never loved people but that He tried them (with afflictions).

37 - وعن أبي عبد الله (ع) قال: قال النبي (ص): قال الله (جلّ جلاله) إنّ مِن عبادي المؤمنين لَعباداً لا يصلُح لهم أمرُ دينِهم إلاّ بالغِنى والسّعةِ والصّحة في البدن؛ فأَبلوهُم بالغنى والسّعة والصّحّة في البدن فيصلُح لهم أمرُ دينهم. وقال: إنّ من العباد لَعباداً لا يصلُح لهم أمرُ دينهم الاّ بالفاقةِ والمَسكنةِ والسقم في أبدانهم، فَأبلوهم بالفَقر والفاقة والمسكنةِ والسقم في أبدانهم فيصلح لهم عليه أمرُ دينِهم.

37. Abu 'Abd Allah (a.s) narrated that the Prophet (a.s) said: Allah [M.G] has said: Amongst My believing servants there are those whose religious affairs are not set right except by wealth, affluence and health; so, I give them these as their lot that the affairs of their religion may be set right.And amongst the servants there are those whose religious affairs are not set right except by hunger, poverty and disease; so, I afflict them with hunger, poverty and disease so that the affairs of their religion may be set right for them.

38 - وعن أبي عبد الله (ع) قال أخذَ الله ميثاقَ المؤمن ِعلى ألاّ يُصَدّقَ في مقالته ولا يُنتَصَفَ من عَدوّه.

38. It has been narrated that Abu 'Abd Allah (a.s) said: Allah has taken a pledge from the believer that his words will be belied and that he would not be able to avenge himself against his enemy.

39 - وعن أبي جعفر (ع) قال إنّ الله (جلّ جلاله) إذا أحَبَّ عبداً غثَّه بالبلاء غثّاً وثَجّهُ بالبلاء ثَجّاً، فإذا دعاه قال: لبَّيكَ عبدي، لبّيك عبدي، لئِن عجّلتُ لك ما سألتَ إني على ذلك لقادرٌ، ولئِن ذخَرتُ لك فما أدَّخَرتُ لك خيرٌ لك.

39. It has been narrated that Abu Ja'far (a.s) said: When Allah loves a person, He chokes him with afflictions until he is immersed in them completely and trials flow towards him copiously. Then when he calls out to Him, He (Allah) replies, 'I am here My servant, here I am! If I wished to hasten towards you what you are asking for, then indeed I am able to do it; but what I have amassed for you (for the hereafter) is better for you.'

40 - عن أبي حمزة قال أبو عبد الله (ع) يا ثابتُ، إنّ الله إذا أحّبّ عبداً غثّه بالبلاء غثّاً وثَجّه به ثَجّاً، وأنا وإيّاكم لنُصبح به ونمسي.

40. It has been narrated that Abu Hamzah said that Abu 'Abd Allah (a.s) said: O Thabit! When Allah loves a person, He pours afflictions on him and rains them heavily on him. And (all the while) we pass our days and nights with him (unaware of his suffering).