Preparing for Ramadan, Becoming true Shias

[Ali Mahdi]

Preparing for Ramadan, Becoming true Shias

Imam Mohammad al-Baqir (as) once said to one of his companions: "O Jabir, it is not enough that a person says: 'I am a Shia and I love the Prophet (pbuh) and the Prophet's family and the Imams'.

"By Allah, a Shia is the one who is perfectly pious and obedient to Allah's commands. Anyone else is not a Shia no matter how much they say they love Ali (as) and no matter what they call themselves.

O Jabir, our Shias are known by these signs:

(a) They are truthful, trustworthy and loyal;

(b) They always remember Allah;

© They offer their prayers, observe fasts, and recite the Qur'an;

(d) They act nicely towards their parents;

(e) They help their neighbors, take care of orphans, and say nothing but good of people;

(f) They are worthy of peoples trust and confidence.

Jabir was listening attentively. When the Imam (as) finished, he said: "O son of the Prophet (pbuh), among the Muslims there are very few who possess these qualities".

The Imam replied: "Allah forbid, do you imagine that just to claim to love us is enough to be a Shia? No not at all. A person who says I love Ali (as) but doesn't follow Ali (as) in his actions is not the Shia of Ali (as). Similarly, if a person says I love the Prophet (pbuh) but doesn't follow the actions of the Prophet (pbuh), his claim will be of no use to him!

"O Jabir, our real friends and Shias are obedient to the commands of Allah, and everyone who is disobedient to Allah is our enemy. O Jabir, Always be pious and chaste, and perform good deeds so as to enjoy the blessings of the Paradise. Know that the best and most honorable before Allah are the pious and the chaste".

Similarly, the one who fasts but does not reform himself to be a true Shia, the fasting has definitely not helped him. Let us prepare for Ramadan. Let us be true Shias.

INVITATION:

This is an announcement from the Emperor of Emperors, King of Kings and the One who is in supreme control of the universe.

All believers are invited to be the guests of Allah during the holy month of Ramadan. Allah invites them to a Divine feast and gives them glad tidings of blessings and forgiveness.

This invitation is to tell you how much the Lord loves you and wants you to be close to Him. He has invited you to remember Him so He may remember you, to ask from Him so He may grant you. He wants you to rid yourself of the burden of sins so that you may be lighter when you return to Him.

He has prepared for you special gifts and rewards and store for you special robes. He has asked you to seek Him so that you can be from among His friends. Such a royal invitation must be accepted with a lot of enthusiasm and excitement. Preparation must be made to attend the royal feast in an appropriate manner.

Edited October 7, 2004 by Ali al-Mahdi

[al-hawraa]

^Mashallah,this is exactly what we need to hear..A very important reminder...

Thank you for this very useful post...and inshallah we will work on till we become true shias by the month of Ramadhan...

[YaHujja]

Salams..

This is around the same topic, I thought it would interest some of you:

Characteristics of the Shi'as of Ahl al-Bayt (A.S)

Imam Ali (A.S.): Our Shi'as are generous to one another within the intimacy towards us. They love each other in the light of attachment to us, and rush to visit each other in order to perpetuate our memory; they are the ones who, when outraged, would not inflict oppression and when pleased, would not practice extravagance. They are sources of blessing for their neighbors and will follow conciliation once they mingle with others.

Nawf ibn Abd Allah al-Bikali: Imam Ali (A.S.) said to me: O Nawf! We have been created of a pure nature and our Shi'as created from our nature; so they will join us on the Resurrection Day.

I said: O Amir al-Mu'minin! Describe your Shi'as to me. As I uttered the name of his Shi'a, he wept and said: O Nawf! I swear by Allah that my Shi'as are patient, aware of Allah and his Faith, they are engaged in obedience and worship of Allah, and find their ways in the light of His love; they are over tasked by worship and prayers and are adherents of austerity; they have mournful and lean faces due to the observance of nocturnal devotions; their eyes are shrinked out of weeping, their lips tend to dry up because of dhikr (remembrance), and their stomachs are thin-skinned due to hunger, Divine color is evident on their faces, and piety is apparent in their countenance. They are lights to any darkness and like flowers they cover up every ugliness; they neither adore the Muslims of the past nor do they pursue the ones coming later on.

The evil is suppressed in them, their hearts are gloomy, they are chaste, their wants are scanty, their souls are habituated with difficulties and people are at ease with them. They are intelligent and wise, honest and noble; and are very smart in setting their faith free. When they appear somewhere they will not be recognized; and in their absence they will not be questioned.

These are the purest of My Shi'as and the noblest of my brothers.

Oh! How eager am I to see them!

Imam al-Sadiq (A.S.): Try my Shi'as on three occasions: At the exact time of prayers (they pray on time), concerning secrets as how they keep them hidden from our enemies, and regarding their wealth as how they share it with their brothers.

Imam al-Sadiq(A.S.): The true Ja'fari Shi'a is one who abstains from gluttony and lust, who is hard-working and works for his Creator, being hopeful of His rewards, and is fearful of His Punishment. Whenever you see such people, they are indeed Ja'fari Shi'as.

Imam al-Sadiq(A.S.): Our Shi'a is the one who takes hold of what he deems good, and gives up what he views evil, reveals beauty and rushes into good deed hopeful of Divine mercy. Such a person is with us, is in line with us wherever we are.

Imam al-Sadiq (A.S.): Our Shi'as are chaste, hardworking, loyal, trustworthy, and austere. They daily perform fifty one rakahs of prayers; they observe prayers at night and fast during daytime; they pay up the Zakah of their property, perform the pilgrimage of Hajj and withdraw from any unlawful action.

Imam al-Sadiq(A.S.): Our shi'as are recognized by various characteristics: Munificence, sacrificing for their brothers, and daily performing fifty rakah of prayers.

Imam al-Sadiq (A.S.): Our followers include three groups: Those who are our friends and express their love to us such people are of us; those who adorn themselves with us, and we make beautiful those who adorn themselves with us; and those who usurp people's property in our name, and whoever usurps people's property in our name will become poor.

Source:

Ahl al-Bayt (A.S.) in the Holy Qur'an and Hadith

By Ayatullah Muhammadi Rayshahri

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We ask Allah to make us among the true shia of the holy prophet and the Ahlul Bayt YA Arhamar Rahimeen!

[sayedzeeshan]

Some great work.

Ramadhan is comming and there should be some change after ramadhan