The Exclusive Honors that Allah has Reserved for the Believers

52. Ya'qub ibn Shu'aib reports: I heard him (Abu 'Abd Allah (a.s) saying: Allah has not taken it on Himself to reward anyone for good deeds except the believers.

When a believing servant does good, Allah multiplies for him his deed - for every deed seven hundred times; and that is the meaning of Allah's words: And Allah multiplies for whom He pleases. [Holy Quran 2/261]

A believer's light shines for the inhabitants of the heavens like stars shining for the inhabitants of the earth.He also said: A believer is a friend of Allah; he helps Him and works for Him and he does not say concerning Allah anything but the truth; and he does not fear anyone other than Him. He also said: When two believers meet and shake hands, Allah does not cease looking at them and their sins continue to fall off them until they part.

Allah is beyond description, and how can He be described while He has said, 'And they did not estimate Allah with the estimation that is due to Him. [Holy Quran 6/91]' Thus, He is greater than any description said to Him. The Prophet (a.s) is also beyond description; how can such a servant be described while Allah [M.G] has elevated and drawn him near to Himself making obedience to him on this earth like obedience to Himself! Thus, Allah [M.G] has said, 'Whatever the Messenger gives you, accept it; and from whatever he forbids you, keep back [Holy Quran 59/7]' i.e. whoever has obeyed this (Prophet) has in fact obeyed Me and whoever has disobeyed him has disobeyed Me? We, too, are beyond description; for how can those from whom Allah has removed impurity, which is polytheism, be described? The believer is also beyond description. When a believer meets his brother in faith and shakes hands with him, Allah continues to gaze at them whilst sins fall off them like leaves falling off a tree

I visited Abu Ja'far (a.s) with some thoughts in my mind. He preempted me saying: O Malik! Have a good opinion of Allah and do not imagine that you are excessive in your affair (of following the Ahl al-Bayt). O Malik, it is beyond your capacity to describe the Messenger of Allah (a.s) and similarly you cannot describe us and similarly you cannot describe a believer. O Malik, when a believer meets his brother (in faith) and shakes his hand, Allah does not stop gazing at them; and sins continue to fall off them until they part without any sins on them. How then can you possibly describe one who is (of) such (greatness before Allah)?

When two believers meet, one hundred mercies are showered between them—ninety nine of these go to the one who loves the other more.

I accompanied Abu Ja'far (a.s) to Makkah, and whenever he broke his journey, he shook hands with me; and when he commenced, he shook hands with me. So, I said to him, 'May I be ransomed for you! Perhaps you do this for a reason?' 'Indeed,' he replied, 'Whenever a believer meets his brother (in faith) and shakes hands with him, they are absolved of sins.'

Just as people are not able to describe the real essence of Allah [M.G], similarly they cannot describe the true nature of the Messenger of Allah (a.s); and just as they are unable to describe the true nature of the Messenger of Allah (a.s), similarly they cannot possibly grasp the essential being of an Imam; and just as they cannot possibly grasp the essential being of an Imam, similarly they can never understand the true nature of a believer

I heard him (al-Sadiq (a.s)) saying: Whenever two believers meet and shake hands, the more faithful of them would be the one who loved the other more. And no two believers ever met, shook hands, remembered Allah and then parted except that Allah forgave them.

If the sins of a believer were as much as the sand in the desert or the froth of the sea, Allah would forgive them all; but do not become bold (in sinning, mistaking His Mercy for weakness).

A believer dies with his sins forgiven; by Allah, all of them.

I visited Abu 'Abd Allah (a.s) and he said (to me), 'O Abu al-Samit, glad tidings, glad tidings again, and again glad tidings.' Then he said to me, 'O Abu al-Samit, most surely Allah forgives a believer even if he were to come (to Him) with sins like this and like that' and he pointed to the domes. 'Even if he were to come with sins of a magnitude like those domes?' I asked. 'Indeed, by Allah, even if it were like those domes, indeed, by Allah,' he repeated twice.”

Indeed, when a believer calls upon Allah, He replies him. (The reporter) said: I stared at him in amazement. Then the Imam (a.s) said: Indeed, Allah bestows amply on His creatures.

A believer's dream is a part of seventy parts of prophethood. And amongst them are some who have been given one-third.

When Allah loves a person, He safeguards him, places contentment in his soul and sets aside reward as his lot. And when He despises him, He leaves him to his own soul and fixes want as his destiny.

73. Ibn Abu al-Bilad reported that Abu 'Abd Allah (a.s) said: A person sometimes supplicates and the Lord [M.G] says, 'O Gabriel, withhold his need.' So, he suspends it (the prayer) between the heavens and the earth out of the yearning of Allah to hear his voice.

Allah [M.G] created the essence of a believer from the essence of the Prophets. Thus, it can never become wicked.

I heard Abu 'Abd Allah (a.s) saying: The death of a believer leaves a gap in religion.

The deed of a believer goes forth and makes preparations for him in Paradise just like a man who sends ahead his servant to furnish and spread out things for him.” Then he (a.s) recited Allah's saying, “And whoever does good, they prepare (good) for their own souls. [Holy Quran 30/44]”

Allah drives away a believer from what He dislikes just like a man who chases away a stray camel that does not belong to his flock.

When two believers meet and shake hands, Allah puts His Hand in between and it is shaken by the one who loves the other the most.

Allah [M.G] says: There is nothing I hesitate to do like taking the soul of My believing servant for I would love to meet him whilst he despises death; so, I conceal it from him. If there was none on the earth except one believer, he would suffice for Me instead of all My creation and I would make for him from his faith a companion so that he too would need the company of no one.

Any believer who dies in isolation and there is no one to mourn him, that spot of the earth where he used to worship Allah mourns for him, his garments weep for him, the portals of the heavens through which his deeds used to ascend weep for him and the two angels appointed to him cry for him.

Verily, the sins of a believer are forgiven. So, let the believer make a fresh start. But this privilege is only for the people of faith (ahl al-iman).

I heard him (al-Sadiq (a.s)) saying: Allah has (some) creatures that He keeps away from trials. He creates them in well-being, gives them life in well-being, grasps their souls in well-being and causes them to enter Paradise in well-being.