Perhaps in our private moments, we\nsometimes think that we have occupied ourselves too much with our daily\naffairs; however, we have ignored the aspect of progression, removing our\ndefects, and spiritual growth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sometimes we look for a good, loving,\npassionate person to provide us with a guideline that helps us in the path\ntowards perfection. But have we ever asked the Ahl al-Bayt (PBUH) for such a\nguideline? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a letter to one of his followers\nnamed \u201cAli ibn Babawayh Qummi(1)\u201d, Imam Hassan al-Askari (PBUH) has provided a\ngeneral recipe for the progression and perfection of Shiites:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cO reliable jurist, Ali\nibn Hussain Babawayh Qummi! May Allah (SWT) help you in what pleases Him and makes\nrighteous children from your progeny.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I advise you to have fear of Allah\n(SWT) and to establish prayers and give alms; because whoever does not pay\nalms, his prayers will not be accepted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I also advise you to forgive the\nmistakes of others and control your anger, and to connect with your relatives,\nand to be helpful and concerned for your brethren, and to endeavor to fulfill\ntheir needs at times of difficulty and ease, and to be patient in response to\nignorance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
[I advise you to] gain\nknowledge and deep understanding in religion, be steadfast in your work, be\nfamiliar and act according to the Quran, have good merits, and to enjoin good\nand forbid evil, as Allah (SWT) has said,\u201d There is no good in most of their\nsecret counsels (and whispers) except (in his) who enjoins charity or goodness\nor reconciliation between people (2)\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Generally I advise you to restrain\nyourself from committing sins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Do not miss the night prayer; because\nthe Prophet (PBUH&HP) gave advice to Imam Ali (PBUH) by saying:\u201d O Ali! Be\ndiligent about the night prayer; be diligent about the night prayer; be\ndiligent about the night prayer; [because] whoever ignores the night prayer is\nnot one of us\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So (O Ali ibn Hussain!), follow my\nadvice, and advise my Shiites to follow it too. I also advise you to have\npatience and forbearance (in fulfilling your responsibilities and duties), and\nto await the deliverance (the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (PBUH)); for verily\nthe Prophet (PBUH&HP) said, \u201cThe best deed of my nation is awaiting for the\ndeliverance\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Our Shiites will constantly be sad and\nanxious (due to missing their Imam) until my son (Imam Mahdi (PBUH)) reappears;\nthe one about whom the Prophet (PBUH&HP) had given glad tidings. He will\nfill the earth with justice and equity just as it would be filled with\ninjustice and oppression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So (once again) O Shaykh and great\none! Be patient, and advise my Shiites to be patient, [because] \u201csurely the\nearth is Allah’s; He will make whomever of His servants He wants to inherit it,\nand the end is for those who are God-fearing (3)\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
May peace, mercy and blessings of\nAllah be upon you and upon my Shiites. Allah (SWT) is sufficient for us as He\nis the best of agents, the best Master, and the best Helper\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Indeed, the path towards perfection\nand gaining nearness to Allah (SWT) is not mysterious or unknown. But what is\ndefinite is that the prescription of a professional doctor would relieve a\npatient only if he makes a serious effort to follow the instructions of the\nprescription correctly and continuously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
(The above is a section\ntaken from \u201cMerits of Shia\u201d, by Shaykh Saduq (with some changes and additions\n(4)))<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Roshd Website offers condolences\nupon the 8th of Rabee al-Awal, the anniversary of the martyrdom of the flag of\nguidance, the light of righteousness, and source of wisdom and knowledge, the\neleventh Imam of the Shiites, Imam Hassan al-Askari (PBUH).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Footnotes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1. Ali ibn\nHussain ibn Babawayh Qummi is the father of Shaykh Saduq. In describing him, it\nis narrated in the book of Rawdat al-Jannat that:\u201d Ali was one the great\njurists, noble companions, righteous elite, followers of the family of the\nProphet (PBUT), supporters of religion against the attacks of the disbelievers,\nand the pillars of Shia\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2. The Holy\nQuran, (4:114)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
3. The Holy\nQuran (7, 128)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
4. The Farsi\ntranslation of the above mentioned book by Mr. Amir Towhidi has been used as a\nreference for this article.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Perhaps in our private moments, we sometimes think that we have occupied ourselves too much with our daily affairs; however, we have ignored the aspect of progression, removing our defects, and spiritual growth. Sometimes we look for a good, loving, passionate person to provide us with a guideline that helps us in the path towards […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28248],"tags":[23672,23671,17778,23674,18103,22144,19421,23365,18418,23673,21963,19269],"class_list":["post-4705","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-occasional-letters","tag-2012-02-01","tag-a-recipe-for-progression-and-evolution","tag-allah","tag-forgive","tag-general","tag-goodness","tag-help","tag-imam-hasan-askari","tag-occasion-letters","tag-path","tag-private","tag-think"],"yoast_head":"\n