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سلام Here's an illuminating narration, which coveys a distinction between Kufr and Shirk. Kufr is (obviously) worse than shirk, and it preceded shirk. Iblees committed Kufr, when he disobeyed Allah. What makes a person a Kafir are the following: 1. They must choose other than Allah. AND 2. They must disobey Allah. AND 3. They must remain/stay upon the Great Sins. The presence of the conjunction "and" / و is very important here. Our Imam (عليه السلام) didn't use the disjunction "or" / أو, which would imply any one of these criteria would be sufficient to make a person, a Kafir. Instead the conjunction و / "and" was used. In logic this is a significant distinction. In other words, if an individual disobeys Allah, they are not a Kafir. If someone chooses other than Allah, they are not a Kafir. For example, when people don't know about Allah or have been heavily misinformed about Allah and choose other than Allah. If someone stays firm in Great Sins, they are not a Kafir. For example, an addict or a person, who continuously commits Great Sins, but has not chosen other than Allah and still believes in Allah, but either due to being heavily misinformed or being addicted they do not depart from the Great Sins. Now, if there's a person, who has chosen other than Allah, disobeys Allah, AND remains upon Great Sins, then that person is a Kafir. However, and this is very important, the given conjunctions significantly reduce the probability of an individual being a Kafir. Keep this in mind, before accusing or believing people to be Kafir, simply based on what's visible to you. As for a Mushrik, he is the one who has chosen a religion other than the religion of The Believers (المومنین). The usage of المومنین instead of اسلام is quite important here. المومنین are the followers of Ahl al-Bayt. In our narrations, there is a clear distinction between a Muslim and a Mu'min. This, of course, brings up a controversial question. Can one be a Muslim and a Mushrik, simultaneously? It appears so. And here's another crucial point, Muslims can be Mushriks but not Kafirs. عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ حَرِيزٍ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ: وَ اَللَّهِ إِنَّ اَلْكُفْرَ لَأَقْدَمُ مِنَ اَلشِّرْكِ وَ أَخْبَثُ وَ أَعْظَمُ قَالَ ثُمَّ ذَكَرَ كُفْرَ إِبْلِيسَ حِينَ قَالَ اَللَّهُ لَهُ اُسْجُدْ لآِدَمَ فَأَبَى أَنْ يَسْجُدَ فَالْكُفْرُ أَعْظَمُ مِنَ اَلشِّرْكِ فَمَنِ اِخْتَارَ عَلَى اَللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ أَبَى اَلطَّاعَةَ وَ أَقَامَ عَلَى اَلْكَبَائِرِ فَهُوَ كَافِرٌ وَ مَنْ نَصَبَ دِيناً غَيْرَ دِينِ اَلْمُؤْمِنِينَ فَهُوَ مُشْرِكٌ . الکافي ج ۲، ص ۳۸۳

سلام This is a beautiful narration, and has been ranked Hasan by Majlisi. Most people may know most of what this narration conveys, namely, anger (غضب) is dangerous, and if you're angry and standing, sit down to reduce/remove your anger. What I didn't know, and what made me feel good and curious, is the end part of the narration. If you are angry at a family member (ذِي رَحِمَ), then touch them. Touching them brings tranquility. I find this to be so wonderful and, at the same time, fascinating. Clearly, touching causes a change in one's mood and being. There's a transformation that occurs through touching. This is perhaps one of the reasons why we ought not to touch non-mahram, or why we need wash our hands, when we shake hands with non-Muslims. Touching, likely, affects our souls/spirits/hearts in ways that we may not be conscious of. Touching affects us deeply, even if/when we don't notice it right away. Knowing that touching my loved ones, family members, would calm me down is so heart-warming. Indeed, there's something special when it comes to ones family. (Keep in mind, cutting ties with family members causes early death, according to multiple authentic narrations.) أَبُو عَلِيٍّ اَلْأَشْعَرِيُّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اَلْجَبَّارِ عَنِ اِبْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ عُقْبَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ مُيَسِّرٍ قَالَ: ذُكِرَ اَلْغَضَبُ عِنْدَ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ فَقَالَ إِنَّ اَلرَّجُلَ لَيَغْضَبُ فَمَا يَرْضَى أَبَداً حَتَّى يَدْخُلَ اَلنَّارَ فَأَيُّمَا رَجُلٍ غَضِبَ عَلَى قَوْمٍ وَ هُوَ قَائِمٌ فَلْيَجْلِسْ مِنْ فَوْرِهِ ذَلِكَ فَإِنَّهُ سَيَذْهَبُ عَنْهُ رِجْزُ اَلشَّيْطَانِ وَ أَيُّمَا رَجُلٍ غَضِبَ عَلَى ذِي رَحِمَ فَلْيَدْنُ مِنْهُ فَلْيَمَسَّهُ فَإِنَّ اَلرَّحِمَ إِذَا مُسَّتْ سَكَنَتْ . الکافي ج ۲، ص ۳۰۲

سلام This is a good reminder that we should be very careful about what we say about others. Be careful to not increase hate and anger and fear towards others. You may not be the one killing someone, but the anger, hate, and fear that your words may cause may result in the death of someone, and you will be held (partially) accountable for that death. مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ اَلْحَكَمِ عَنِ اَلْعَلاَءِ بْنِ رَزِينٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ: إِنَّ اَلرَّجُلَ لَيَأْتِي يَوْمَ اَلْقِيَامَةِ وَ مَعَهُ قَدْرُ مِحْجَمَةٍ مِنْ دَمٍ فَيَقُولُ وَ اَللَّهِ مَا قَتَلْتُ وَ لاَ شَرِكْتُ فِي دَمٍ قَالَ بَلَى ذَكَرْتَ عَبْدِي فُلاَناً فَتَرَقَّى ذَلِكَ حَتَّى قُتِلَ فَأَصَابَكَ مِنْ دَمِهِ . الکافي ج ۷، ص ۲۷۳

Salaam All. I recently read a narration online (seriously wish I had bookmarked it) regarding an incident regarding either Imam Zain-ul-Abideen's (عليه السلام) son or Imam Baqir's (عليه السلام) son where they had given money to a man to invest/do business but he had a slightly negative reputation. The man disappeared and the Imam's son was clinging to the cloak of the Kaabah imploring and pleading with Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) for the safe return of the money. I'm totally paraphrasing here but the Imam said something to the effect of you cannot expect Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) to undo your own foolishness. If someone can point me to the source of this incident/narration I would be much obliged.

I was wondering if any of the dear brothers/sisters can provide the beautiful narration stated in the video. May Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) bless you all.

Assalamu alaikum brothers and sisters! I have made some research but couldn't be able to find any Shia Sahih narration on the moon split. I'm not looking for the Quran verses or scientific discoveries... For me it's ok as long as our prophet and imams claimed this. Only shias reply please!

(salam) There is a question that is looming over my head for quite some time. :wacko: Now, with regards to verifying a hadith's authenticity, what is the process in which I, as a layman, can know the grading of the hadith (i.e. sahih, da'eef, etc.). Apart from consulting a scholar, is checking the reliability of transmitters and, perhaps, pondering on the "mitn" (content) of the hadith, the only way to verifying what a hadith's grading is? I suspect there is a book where hadith numbers from certain books are listed side by side with the grading of the respective hadith, although I could be in error. Could anyone pave the way for me. Thanks. (wasalam)