Abdullah al-Najashi is a famous person in history who was appointed by Mansour Abbasi as the governor of Ahwaz. He asked Imam Sadiq (PBUH) to teach him some instructions and advices to make him closer to Allah (SWT) and the holy prophet (PBUH&HP). In response, Imam Sadiq (PBUH) wrote him a letter that an excerpt is as follows:
“ … Be aware that your salvation would result from protecting people’s lives, not harming the friends of Allah (SWT), being kind towards people, behave sociable and gentle despite being powerful, showing leniency to the friends and the people who needs you, eliminating the people’s shortages and treating them in a fair manner …
Do not fail to feed the hungry people and do not underestimate the reward of this action. My father narrated from the holy prophet: “The person who sleeps full while his neighbor is hungry, does not truly believe in Allah (SWT) and the day of judgment…
Fear Allah (SWT) so you do not frighten any servants of Him, since my father has narrated from his father, Ali ibn Abi Talib (PBUH): “Anyone who looks at a believer with cruelty and violence and frighten him, Allah (SWT) will frighten him on the day of judgment on which there would be no protector than Himself…
Anyone who fulfills a single request of his believer brother, Allah (SWT) would comply many of his demands including the paradise. Anyone who provides a believer with clothes and food, gives them ride, or help them get married, Allah (SWT) would grant him heavenly clothing, food, ride and partners … anyone who goes to his faithful brother’s place to visit, without demanding anything from him is counted as the pilgrim of Allah and Allah (SWT) has obligated Himself to honor His pilgrim…
Be careful not to follow up on believers’ faults, otherwise Allah (SWT) would do the same to you. The minimum level of atheism is that a person hears something from his faithful brother and keeps it in order to use it against him some day…
My father narrated from his fathers from Amir al-Mu’minin (PBUH): “This verse of the holy Quran would be applicable to anyone who reveals anything against a faithful person that results in dishonoring him, even he has witnessed it by his own eyes and ears: “Indeed those who want indecency to spread among the faithful—there is a painful punishment for them in the world and the Hereafter.”(1) (2)
Therefore, Imam Sadiq (PBUH) nicely advised Najashi and in the meantime, provides us with what is necessary for a true Muslim to know on how to behave well with others.
(The above is a selection taken from “The life of Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq (PBUH)”), by late Dr. Sayyed Ja’far Shahidi (with minor changes and additions))
The Roshd Website congratulates all Muslims, especially you dear friend, on the 17th of Rabi’ al-Awwal, the birth anniversary of Imam Sadiq (PBUH), the source of knowledge, and the manifestation of divine commandment
Footnotes:
1. The holy Quran, 24:19
2. Wasaye al-Shia, vol. 17, p.207