Chapter Four
The Child’s Duties towards Elders and Friends
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Initiating with Greeting
461. The Prophet (s.a.w.) said: “The younger person should greet the elder, the one passing by should greet the one who is sitting, and a small group should greet the large group.”1
462. The Prophet (s.a.w.) said: “The nearest person to Allah and His Messenger is he who is first to greet.”2
463. The Prophet (s.a.w.) said: “The most obedient of you to Allah is he who is first in greeting his friend.”3
464. Imām ‘Ali (a.s.) said: “Greeting has seventy rewards, sixty nine of which are for he who initiates the greeting and one is for the responder.”4
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Observing Rights
465. Imām ‘Ali (a.s.) said, in his advice to Muhammad bin al-Hanafiyah: “O my child! Do not encroach upon the right of your brother because of what (a problem) is between you and him, for he whose rights you breach is not your brother.”5
466. Imām ‘Ali (a.s.) said: “How bad is it for a man, whose brother recognizes his rights but he does not recognize the rights of his brother.”6
1.. Sahih al-Bukhāri, vol. ۵, p. ۲۳۰۱ h. ۵۸۷۷, narrating from Abu Hurayrah. al-Kāfi, vol. ۲, p. ۶۴۶, h. ۱, narrating from Jarrāh al-Madā'ini from Imām al-Sādiq (a.s.).
2.. al-Kāfi, vol. ۲, p. ۶۴۴, h. ۳, narrating from al-Sakuni from Imām al-Sādiq (a.s.). Bihār al-Anwār, vol. ۷۶, p. ۱۲, h. ۵۰.
3.. Kanz al-‘Ummāl, vol. ۹, p. ۱۱۶, h. ۲۵۲۵۳, narrating from al-Tabarāni from Abu al-Dardā'.
4.. Mishkāt al-Anwār, p. ۳۴۶, h. ۱۱۰۶. Tuhaf al-‘Uqul, p. ۲۴۸, narrating from Imām al-Husain (a.s.). Bihār al-Anwār, vol. ۷۶, p. ۱۱, h. ۴۶.
5.. Kitāb Man lā Yahdarhu al-Faqih, vol. ۴, p. ۳۹۲, h. ۵۸۳۴. Nahj al-Balāghah, letter۳۱.
6.. Musādiqah al-Ikhwān, p. ۱۴۴, h. ۵, narrating from Marāzim.
