In the captivity of wishes
Imam Hassan Askari (pbuh) said:
It’s ugly for a believer to desire something humiliating.
Al– kafi, vol. 2, P. 320.
Humans must not worship anything and anybody, but their own creator.
However, they sometimes follow a wish that if it is fulfilled, they need to be in captivity of somebody or something.
A believer never follows something that leads them to captivity and humiliation
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What goes and what remains
Imam Ali (pbuh) said:
While doing bad deeds, keep in mind the transitivity of joys but remaining effects and consequences of sins.
Ghurar al-Hikam, vol. 351.
One of the devil’s tricks is that, he brings pleasure to the heart of humans who are doing sin and removes from their minds its negative and destructive outcomes.
When one is tempted to sin, s/he is expected to react against devil’s wills. It means, instead thinking of the transient joy of sin, consider its eternal displeasure. In this way, one can easier reject the devil.
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Ponder on it
The prophet (pbuh&h) said:
Don’t take the sins small, but see whom you have disobeyed.
Mikarem al- Akhlagh, P.406.
In people’s eyes, the small sins don’t have the ugliness and filth of the deadly ones, but each sin is a disobedience and it means disobeying the lord‘s commands. And the grander the lord is, the more obscene and ugly is the disobedience.
Therefore, one shouldn’t not consider sins as trivial. But think of the dignity of the lord they disobey.
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Evaluating your status
Imam Ali (pbuh) said:
Every one of you who intends to know their status/ value to God, should look what they are standing with God, while committing sins.
Bihar al-Anwar, vol.10, P.94.
If you keep in mind the God dignity while committing sins, and if you feel shy to commit sins, it shows God is very precious to you. So, be sure that you are very precious to him too.
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A true love or a fake one!
Imam Sadiq ( pbuh) said:
The evidence of affection is preferring the beloved one (’s wish to yours)
Mustadrak al- Wasail, vol.12, P.168.
One can distinguish a real love from a fake one, through some evidences. One of them is to prefer my beloved wishes to my wills or others’. If so, it shows my love isn’t a fake one.
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God’s satisfaction is the optimum/enough
Imam Sadiq (pbuh) said:
A deed is pure, when you don’t want to be praised by others but by the Almighty God .
Al- Kafi, vol.2, P. 16.
If you expect to be praised for the thing you have done and get sad and disappointed otherwise, it shows you haven’t done it for God.
a deed for God’s sake means to look for his grant; such as the ones who said” We are fulfilled with God, and don’t expect him to praise and gratitude.”
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When others are important (more than God)
Imam Ali (pbuh) said:
A hypocrite has 3 signs/indications: They are diligent and happy before people. They are listless, when alone. And they love to be praised for all they do.
Al-Kafi, vol.2, P.295
A devotee behaves in public and in solitude the same/ find and hide of a sincere work isn’t different. As they believe, for the one who is to observe everything is explicit. ,
Hypocrites have another story. (They believe)Why should they bother themselves, if they aren’t seen in public? There should be a motif to do so. Nothing exhilarates them as much as others’ praise.
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A fake winning face
Imam Ali (pbuh) said:
The one, who criticizes you in your presence, will win your face in your absence. And the one who stands on ceremony to criticize, will back bite you later.
Ghurar al- Hikam, the same.9474.
One shouldn’t fear of being friendly criticized/ detected for defects. As they honestly alert him/her of their faults. We ought to fear from hypocritical respecting. Since, they will back bite in your absence.
A real friend is the one, like a mirror who criticize you not there but here
Not to tell them in details, as comb in your absence, play on their drum
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All your affection, but not the whole trust
Imam Ali (pbuh) said:
Dedicate all your affection to your friend, but don’t wholly trust on them.
Ghurar al-Hikam , the same.9665
Nobody has ever lost something by being affectionate, sympathetic with, and benevolent for their friends. But there have been, and still are the ones who have been harmed and undergone detriments. Since, they have exaggerated in trusting and relying on their friends . Yet, for this exaggerated trust, they told them the secrets, staked them and gave a responsibility. They finally felt remorse and they couldn’t compensate it!
One should trust the people moderately, and avoid relying on them extremely.
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Friendship with a sin disguiser
They asked Imam Ali (pbuh) [the Shiites’ imam]:
Who is the worst companion? He replied: the one who disguises sins.
The book’ Man la Yahzarah al- Faghih, vol.4, P.381
Devil disguises sins. His duty is disguising the sins, while they are ugly and defiled. When the sins seem beautiful and charming, it would be difficult to abandon and individuals would incline to it.
The worst companion does the same as devil. So, one should avoid them.
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