4 / 3
Taking the Elders as Examples
467. Imām ‘Ali (a.s.) said: “The young among you should take example from your elders, and the elders should be affectionate to the young ones. You should not be like the harsh men of the Age of Ignorance who neither had the understanding of religion nor did they contemplate about Allah. It is like the egg of a viper that is found in the nest of an ostrich whose breaking is a sin and the little one that comes out of it is harmful.”1
4 / 4
Fulfilling Needs
468. The Prophet (s.a.w.) said: “The believers are brethren. They fulfil the needs of each other, and by fulfilling each other’s needs, Allah will fulfil their needs on Judgment Day.”2
469. The Prophet (s.a.w.) said: “Allah will grant all the needs of one who seeks to fulfil the need of his brother.”3
470. al-Kāfi, narrating from Safwān al-Jammāl who said: “I was sitting with Abu ‘Abdullah [al-Sādiq] (a.s.) when a man from Mecca named Maymun entered and complained about paying the rent of his animals. The Imām said to me: “Stand up and help your brother.”
So I stood up with him and Allah solved his problem of the rent, then I returned to my place [in the gathering]. Then Abu ‘Abdullah [al-Sādiq] (a.s.) said: “What did you do with the need of your brother?”
I said: “Allah solved it for him, may my parents be your ransom.”
He (a.s.) said: “Indeed helping your Muslim brother is more beloved to me than seven [recommended] circumambulations around the Ka‘bah for the first time.”4
1.. Nahj al-Balāghah, Sermon ۱۶۶. Bihār al-Anwār, vol. ۳۴, p. ۱۱۳, h. ۹۵۰.
2.. al-Amāli, by al-Mufid, p. ۱۵۰, h. ۸, narrating from al-Husain ibn Zaid. Musādiqah al-Ikhwān, p. ۱۶۰, h. ۵. Both narrating from Imām al-Sādiq (a.s.) from his father (a.s.).
3.. Sunan Abu Dāwud, vol. ۴, p. ۲۷۳, h. ۴۸۹۳. Musnad Ibn Hanbal, vol. ۲, p. ۴۰۰, h. ۵۶۵۰. Both narrating from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar. al-Amāli, by al-Tusi, p. ۹۷, h.۱۴۷, narrating from Muhammad ibn Yahyā al-Madani from Imām al-Sādiq (a.s.), with ‘his believing Muslim brother’ instead of ‘his brother’.
4.. al-Kāfi, vol. ۲, p. ۱۹۸, h. ۹. Musādiqah al-Ikhwān, p. ۱۷۶, h. ۱۰.
