Silence and Restraint against Publicity

“I, by Allah, love to bail out two things in my followers with parts of my arms: their rush for quick response and lack of silence and restraint.”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘People were commanded to maintain two characteristics, for the loss of which they involved themselves into something else; they were patience and silent abstinence.”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) once said, ‘O Sulayman, you follow the religion of one for whose silent abstinence Allah grants him honor, but due to his loud publicity, Allah causes his humiliation. ’”

“Once we in a group went to see abu Ja’far (a.s.) and said to him, ‘O descendent of the Messenger of Allah, we intend to travel to Iraq, and request your recommendations.’ Abu Ja’far (a.s.) said, ‘The stronger ones among you must support the weak ones, the well to do among you must reach out to the poor ones among you, do not expose our secrets and do not publicize our cause. When you receive a Hadith from us accept it only if you find sufficient, two or at least one, supporting evidence from the book of Allah, otherwise, keep it on hold and then refer it to us for verification. You must know that those waiting for this matter (coming of Imam al-Mahdi) have a reward like those who fast all the time and pray every night. Whoever will find himself with our al-Qa’im (al-Mahdi) and will come out with him to do away with our enemies he will have a reward equal to that for twenty martyrs and whoever will be killed supporting our al- Qa’im, his reward will be equal to that for fifteen martyrs.’”

“I heard Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) saying, ‘Just to affirm our cause is not enough to carry it. To bear our cause is to keep it concealed and protect it from those who do not support it. Convey the greeting of peace to them and tell them, “May Allah grant blessings to those who attract people’s love to himself, speak to them (common people) about what they know and conceal from them what they deny.’” The Imam then said, ‘By Allah, our bitter enemy, is not more of a problem bigger for us than those who speak of us things that we dislike. If you hear a servant (of Allah) publicizing (our cause) then walk to him and turn him away from it. If he did not accept your advice then leave him to one who might prove to be heavier for him and he would listen to him. There are those of you who on request meet the needs of a person with kindness. Be kind to me in my needs as you are kind to each other in your needs. If he accepts from you, that is fine, otherwise, bury his words under your feet and do not say, ‘He says so and so.’ This will make it difficult for you and for me. By Allah, were you to say what I say, I could confirm that you are of my companions. This is abu Hanifah and he has companions. This is al-Hassan al-Basri and he has his companions. I am a man from Quraysh of the descendents of the Messenger of Allah. I knew the book of Allah in which there is explanation for everything, the beginning of creation, the matters of heavens, the issues of earth, the matters of those in the past, the issues of the later generations, and issues of things that existed and the matters of the things that will come into existence. To me these all are as if I see them before my eyes.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) once said to me, ‘Our cause had still been hidden until the children of Kisan began to speak of it on the roads, villages and in large places.’”

“I heard abu Ja’far (a.s.) saying, ‘By Allah, the most beloved to me of my companions are the most restraining from the worldly attractions (sins) among them, the most knowledgeable in fiqh (Islamic laws) among them, and the most secretive among them in our Hadith. The worst among them in my sight is the one who, when he hears our narration being attributed to us and being narrated from us, does not accept it, feels aversion towards it, denies it, and declares disbelief for the one who attributes it to us, without realizing that the narration might have originated from us and the chain of transmission is connected to us, and thus, by doing so, he goes against our Wilayah (authority).’”

“Once Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) said to me, ‘O Mu’alla, conceal our cause and do not make it public; to those who conceal our cause and do not publicize it, Allah grants honor in this world. He will make it a light between his eyes in the next life and lead him to paradise. O Mu’alla, whoever publicizes our cause and does not conceal it, Allah humiliates him in this world, removes the light between his eyes in the next life and will make darkness to lead him to fire. O Mu’alla, al-Taqiyyah is my religion and the religion of my predecessors. There is no religion for one who does not observe al-Taqiyyah. O Mu’alla, Allah loves to be worshipped secretly just as He loves to be worshipped publicly. O Mu’alla, one who publicizes our cause is like one who rejects it altogather.’”

“Once Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) asked me, ‘Did you tell anyone what I told you?’ I said, ‘No, I have not told anyone except Sulayman ibn Khalid.’ The Imam said, ‘Very good. Have you not heard the words of the poet: ‘Do not allow my secret and your secret pass to a third party. Is it not the case that a secret passing two people is public?”’

“Once I asked abu al-Hassan al-Rida (a.s.) a question. He refrained silently and said, ‘If we give you everything you want, it may become evil for you and the neck of the owner of this cause will be caught tight.’ “Abu Ja’far (a.s.) has said, ‘It is the guardianship of Allah, Who told it secretly to Jibril, who secretly told it to Muhammad (a.s.) who secretly told it to Ali (a.s.) who secretly told it to whoever Allah wanted and then you publicize it. Who is he that has heard a word then has held it secretly?’ “Abu Ja’far (a.s.) has said, ‘It is in the wisdom of ‘Ale Dawud (family of David), “It is necessary for a Muslim to have control over his soul, be attentive to his affairs and have foil knowledge of the people of his time.” Be pious before Allah and do not publicize our Hadith. It is a fact that Allah defends his friends and exacts recompense for His friends from His enemies. Have you considered how Allah dealt with Ale Barmak (family of Barmak) and how He recompensed for abu al-Hassan (a.s.) when banu ‘Ash’ath faced the great danger and Allah defended them for their supporting abu al- Hassan (a.s.)? In Iraq you are well aware of the deeds of those Pharaohs and the respite that Allah has given them. Therefore, you must observe piety before Allah and do not allow the worldly life to deceive you. Do not be confused about those who have been given respite. It is as if the matter (reappearance of al-Mahdi (a.s.)) is almost within your reach.’”

“I heard Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) saying, ‘The Messenger of Allah has said, “Tuba’ (a tree in paradise) is for a servant who is unknown to people but Allah knows him. Such people are the torches of guidance and the fountains of knowledge. Through them every darkening calamity brightens. They do not publicize undisclosed facts and they are not quarrelsome braggarts.’”

“Amir al-Mu’minin (Ali ibn abu Talib) (a.s.) has said, ‘Tuba’ (a tree in paradise) is for every servant (of Allah) who is unnoticed among the people but knows people and they do not know him. Allah knows him from His side with happiness. They are the torches of guidance. Through them every darkening calamity is removed aside and for them every door to blessing opens. They do not publicize undisclosed facts and they are not quarrelsome braggarts.’ He has also said, ‘Speak of the good so you become known for it. Do good and be of its people and do not be hastening announcers. The best of you are those who on looking up on them one is reminded of Allah and the wicked ones among you are those who publicize undisclosed facts, cause separation among the loved ones and search for faults in the innocent people.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘Control your tongues and stay home, no one will ever disturb you in particular. Zaydi people are still a protection for you and they will always be as such.’”

“When there is something in one of your hands, if you can, do not allow the other hand to know about it.’ The narrator has said that there was a man in his presence and they discussed publicity. The Imam said, ‘Control your tongue and you will find honor and do not allow people to become in control of your neck to humiliate you.’”

“Our cause is hidden and veiled by the (Divine) covenant. Whoever disregards it against us Allah will humiliate him.”

“I heard Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) saying, ‘A breath with a sigh of concern and sadness due to injustice done to us is Tasbih (speaking of the glory of Allah) and one’s concern about our cause is worship, his concealing our secret is Jihad (hard work for the cause of Allah).”’ “Muhammad ibn Sa’id told me to write it down with gold. I then did not write anything better than that.”