Imam Sajad (peace be upon him) said: The way to recognize a faithful Muslim is through several qualities: by not speaking vainly, by not engaging in disputes, by patience and perseverance, and by good character. [1]
Imam Zayn al-Abidin (peace be upon him) was perfect in all the prominent qualities of humanity, ethics, and virtue. He was the most knowledgeable and virtuous of his time, excelling in ethics, charity, generosity, kindness, and goodwill towards the poor and needy. No one could match his level of virtue.
One of his prominent traits was that whenever someone behaved poorly towards him, he would respond with kindness and generosity in return. One day, he encountered a group of people who insulted and spoke ill of him. He turned to them and said: “If what you are saying about me is true, may Allah forgive me, and if the accusations you have made are false, I ask Allah to forgive your sins.”
When one of the Imam’s servants was asked about his character, he replied: “During the day, I never brought him food, and at night, I never laid out his bed. This was because he often fasted during the day and spent his nights in worship.”
Although Ali ibn al-Husayn (peace be upon him) treated his mother with more kindness and respect than anyone else, he refrained from eating food with her. One day, his companions asked him about this, saying: “You are the best and most noble of people, and you treat your mother with the utmost kindness. Why do you refrain from eating with her?” The Imam responded: “I observe the rules of etiquette and respect, and I fear that I might take a bite of food before my mother does.”
The Imam would never eat a meal without first giving a portion of the same food as charity to the poor. Every night, he would knock on the doors of a hundred houses, personally distributing food to the needy and the destitute, who, out of their dignity and nobility, did not express their hunger or poverty. While the food sack would weigh heavily on his back, he would never ask his servants for help; he would distribute the food himself, so that no one would know about it. At the same time, many of the poor did not wish to be recognized, so the Imam took care to ensure that their secret remained safe.
These are just a few examples of Imam Sajad’s (peace be upon him) moral qualities. Despite the difficult circumstances of his time, he set the best example of ethics and behavior, leaving behind the noble legacy of his grandfather, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Without a doubt, preserving and acting upon these teachings is one of the best ways to strengthen our purity and faith.
(Excerpted from the book Seerah of the Imams [2], Volume 3, written by Allama Sayyid Mohsen Amin (with slight modifications))
Footnotes:
[1] Mishkat al-Anwar fi Gharar al-Akhbar, p. 221
[2] The text is taken from the translation of the book by Mr. Hossein Vojdani.