Recommended Salaa't on Friday

Between Fajr & Zuhr - Recite Salaat Jafar e Tayyar

Salat Al Arabi /Bedouins prayer from Baqeyatus salehat

Salaat of Masoomeen

Friday evening Salat
Regarding the prayer for Friday eve the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) said: If one recites two rakat prayers and in each rakat after Surah Hamd recites Surah Tawheed 70 times and after the prayer recites Astaghfirullaah 70 times, then by the One Who has sent me with truth anyone who performs this act and does Isteghfar then even if he supplicates for my whole nation the Almighty would accept his supplication and would enter the whole nation in Paradise.

Salaat 2 for Friday 

It is related from Amirul Mo-mineen (a.s.) that one who recites this day eight-rakat prayer in the forenoon the Almighty elevates him a thousand levels in Paradise.

The prayer for Friday is four rakats. In each rakat after Surah Hamd recite Ayatul Kursi 15 times and after the prayers recite Astaghfirullaah 70 times and 'Laa hawla wala Quwwata illa billa'  50 times.

Salaat 3 for Friday 

It is narrated from the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) that one who recites four rakats prayer on Friday and in each rakat after Surah Hamd recites Surah Mulk and Surah Ha Mim the Almighty would admit him into Paradise and would accept his intercession for his family members and keep him safe from the squeeze of the grave and the punishment of Qiyamat.

The narrator asked the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) regarding the time of these prayers. He (s.a.w.s.) replied: After sunrise and before noon. That is in between the two.

We should know that all these prayers for the days of the week are narrated from Imam Hasan al-Askari (a.s.) and he has quoted from his forefathers.

To dye hair, advise for men and women

It is mustahab (commendable) for men to dye their head and beard.
There are fourteen advantages for women in dyeing their hair and applying
henna to their head and feet:
a) Deafness is cured
b) Brightness in the eyes is increased
c) Dryness of nose is lessened
d) There is good breath in the mouth
e) Gums are strengthened
f) There is no bad smell in the under arms
g) There is less temptation from the devil
h) The angels are happy
i) It is a means to the happiness of a momin
j) The nonbelievers get jealous
k) It is beauty in itself
l) It is good scent in itself
m) It is a means to the salvation from the curse of the grave
n) It makes Munker and Nakeer feel shy
According to a tradition, a certain person visited the Holy Prophet
(s.a.w.a.) and when the Holy Prophet saw a few white hair in his beard,
he said that these hair are light and all the muslims who possess a single
white hair in the beard, there will be a light for them on the day of
judgement.
According to another tradition, Hazrat Ali (a.s.) said that he did not
apply dye (khizab) as he was mourning for the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.)
Another reliable tradition states that Imam Ja'far-e-Sadiq (a.s.) said
that among a few bad signs o which will appear in the world during the
last days will be that men of Bani Abbas will act like their women by applying
henna to the hands and feet and comb like them.
According to Imam Ja'far-e-Sadiq (a.s.), the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.)
ordered every woman to apply henna whether she was a widow or a
happily married woman, the former as not to let her hands resemble
men, the latter to beautify them for her husband.

-Allama Majlisi's Tehzee ul Islam, Part 2, Ch.11 

Manners of Using the Mirror:

According to the reliable tradition related to Imam Ja'far-e-Sadiq (a.s.), the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) had said that heaven is definitely rewarded to that young fellow who looks in the mirror and thanks God for the beauty given to him.
According to another tradition, the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) kept on looking in the mirror while combing his hair and beard. He also ordered his wives and other companions to beautify themselves as God liked that a muslim should, before meeting another person, make himself acceptable to the other's eyes.
According to a tradition related to Hazrat Ali (a.s.), one should recite the following prayer while looking into the mirror.
‘All praise is worthy of that Allah who has created me and made my creation the best. He has made my face as it was the best possible to make. He has beautified me with such things, had these been found in others, they would have been considered as faults and then He has blessed me with Islam.’
_____________________________
From Allama Majlisi's Tehzeeb-ul-Islam Ch. 10 p 24

Suitable Engravings for Every Gem:

Husain ibne Khalid visited Imam Reza (a.s.) and asked him if it was permissible
to visit the toilet wearing a gem on which was engraved:
‘There is no God but Allah.’
The Imam (a.s.) replied that this act was good for no one. Husain further
asked if the Prophet and other ancestors did not visit the toilet with
the ring on. The Imam (a.s.) replied in the affirmative but also stated that
the ring was in the right hand and that Husain should stop defaming his
ancestors. Then Imam (a.s.) said that naqsh (engraving) on the gem of
Adam, which was brought from heaven, was thus:
‘There is no God but one Allah and Mohammed is the Messenger of
Allah.’
The engraving on the Prophet's ring was:
‘There is no God but Allah, Mohammed is the Messenger of Allah.’
The engraving on Hazrat Ali (a.s.)'s ring was:
‘Allah is Master of the kingdom.’
The engraving on Imam Hasan (a.s.)'s ring was:
‘Verily, All honour (as a whole) belongeth (only) to God.’
The engraving on Imam Husain (a.s.)'s ring was:
‘Verily God accomplisheth His purpose.’
The ring worn by Hazrat Ali ibnul Husain (a.s.) and Imam Mohammed
Baqir (a.s.) belonged to Imam Husain (a.s.).
The engraving on the ring of Imam Ja'far-e-Sadiq (a.s.) was:
‘Allah is my master and He will safeguard me from His creatures.’
The engraving on the ring of Imam Moosa Kazim (a.s.) was:
‘Sufficient for me is Allah.’
After speaking about the engraving of Imam Ali Reza (a.s.), he put
forth his hand on which he was wearing the ring of his father.
According to the tradition from Syed Ibne Taoos (r.a.), a person visited
Imam Ja'far-e-Sadiq (a.s.) and said that he was scared of the ruler of Jazeerah
as his enemies had poisoned the ears of ruler and he may kill him.
The Imam (a.s.) ordered him to make a ring set in with a thick gem of
Hadeed Cheeni on one side of which the following three sentences
should be engraved:
‘I seek the refuge of the Mightiness of Allah. I seek the shelter of the
words of Allah. I seek the shelter of the Prophet of Allah.’
and at the back of the gem the following two lines should be engraved:
‘I have brought faith on Allah and his Books. I myself rely on Allah
and his Prophets.’ and further, the following should be engraved on all the four corners
of the gem:
‘I stand witness with all submission to there being no Creator except
Allah.’
When he will wear this ring all his difficulties will be solved; especially
he will not be afraid of the wicked. And if the ring is tied, women
will have an easy delivery and they will not be affected by any evil eye.
It is very important to protect this gem. Dirt should be kept away from it
and it should not be taken in bathroom or toilet as it contains the secrets
of God. Shias of Ahle Bait (a.s.) who are afraid of the enemy should keep
this ring dearer than life and hide it from their enemies and keep it a
secret except from those who are reliable. According to the traditionalist,
his experience proved what the Imam (a.s.) had said.
According to Imam Mohammed Baqir (a.s.), if a person possesses a
ring set in with Aqiq and turns it towards his palm and then looks at it
and recites the 97th chapter of the Holy Book (Sura Inna Anzalna):
‘In the name of Allah, the Beneficient, the Merciful.
Verily, We sent it (The Quran) down in the night of Qadr! What can
make thee know what the night of Qadr is? The night of Qadr is better
than a thousand months. The Angels and the Spirit descend therein with
the permission of their Lord, with (decrees) of all affairs; Peace is (in the
whole night) till the breaking of the dawn!’
And recites this prayer:
‘I have brought faith on that One Allah who has no partner and I do
not believe in Jibl and Taghoot (idols)! And have also brought faith on
the beginning and the end, the visible and the invisible (aspects) of Mohammed
(s.a.w.a.) and Ale Mohammed (a.s.) whether their Imamat has
been declared or they are in their temporary disappearance. Mohammed
(s.a.w.a.) is the Prophet of Allah and Hazrat Ali (a.s.) is the Divine Vicegerent
of Allah.’
then God keeps him protected the whole day from trouble whether
they are descendent from heaven or earth and he will be protected till
the evening by God and God's friends will guide him.
According to another tradition, a person who makes a ring set in Aqiq
should have the following engraved on it so that God will protect him
from a bad death and he will die in his faith:
‘Mohammed (s.a.w.a.) is the Prophet of Allah and Hazrat Ali (a.s.) is
the Divine Vicegerent of Allah.’

Advantages of Miswak (i.e. Cleaning Teeth With Any Raw Branch of Tree):

(From the book of Allama Majlisi: Tehzeeb-ul-Islam)

According to many reliable traditions from Imam Ja'far-e-Sadiq (a.s.),
miswak is the sunnat of all Prophets. The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) used to
say that Hazrat Jibrael asked him to do miswak so often, that he started
fearing that his teeth would be rubbed off.
According to Imam Ja'far-e-Sadiq (a.s.), there are twelve advantages of
miswak:
a) It is the sunnat of Prophets
b) Cleans the mouth
c) Increases brightness of the eyes
d) Causes God's goodwill
e) Takes out sputum
f) Increases memory
g) Teeth are whitened
h) The reward of good deeds increases manifold
i) Stops weakness and falling of teeth
j) Strengthens roots of the teeth
k) Increases appetite in a healthy manner
l) Angels are happy with all those who do miswak
According to a tradition from Hazrat Ali (a.s.), the Holy Prophet
(s.a.w.a.) had advised people to do miswak at the time of every prayer.
According to Hazrat Moosa Kazim (a.s.) and Imam Ali Reza (a.s.),
among the sunnats of the Prophet Ibrahim (a.s.), there are five things
about the upper half of the body and five about the lower part of the
body. Among those that are concerned with head are:
a) To do miswak
b) Trimming the moustache
c) Parting hair to have place for masah
d) To gargle
e) To put water in the nose
The five things that are sunnat about the lower part of the body are:
a) To get circumcised
b) To remove unwanted hair on the lower abdomen
c) To remove hair under armpits
d) To cut nails
e) To clean with water after urination

According to Imam Ja'far-e-Sadiq (a.s.) when one gets up for Namaz-e-
Shab (night prayer) one should do miswak as an angel descends from heaven and keeps his mouth on one's mouth and whatever one is reciting;
Quran, prayers or durood, he takes it to heaven. Therefore it is necessary
that one's mouth should be smelling good. (If there is not enough
time, it is better to clean one's teeth with fingers only.)
According to the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.), there are three things which
sharpen memory and cure all pains - chewing kundoor, doing miswak
and reciting the Quran-e-Majeed.
Another tradition quotes the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) as saying that two
rakat prayers with miswak is better than seventy rakat prayers without
it.
According to Mohammed Baqir (a.s.), doing miswak in the bathroom
causes one's teeth to fall and also one should never stop doing miswak
even if it is done once in three days.

Etiquette of Joking, Laughing, Whispering, Sitting in a Company and of Keeping the Sanctity of a Gathering:

(Tehzeeb-ul-Islam, Allama Majlisi's book)

According to a tradition coming from Imam Mohammed Baqir (a.s.), one
should not whisper when there are only three people gathered, as it is
bound to hurt the third person present.
According to the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.), when a person ignores and
cuts short the talk of a fellow-momin, it is like scratching the face of the
fellow-momin.
Many traditions have stated that when one sits with someone, or in
some gathering, then one should not disclose the talk which had taken
place in their company before others, unless one has taken their prior
permission.
According to the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.), one should keep the sanctity
of all meetings and gatherings except when murder, rape or loot were
committed.
Imam Ja'far-e-Sadiq (a.s.) states that there is no momin who is not used
to humour and is also well-behaved.
According to Imam Mohammed Baqir (a.s.), a person who enlivens
the mood of a company, is considered a friend by the Almighty God,
provided he is not using bad language for the purpose.
According to Imam Ja'far-e-Sadiq (a.s.), a momin only laughs with a
smile, not with a loud sound.
In another tradition he (a.s.) has stated that laughing loudly makes a
coward of a man and wastes faith in the same manner as salt melts in
water; and that laughing without any purpose is ignorance.
Yet in another tradition, laughing a lot has been prohibited as it spoils
the youthfulness of one's looks.
He (a.s.) has also stated that you can only joke with those you are intimate
with, but you should never use your hands and feet (i.e. no practical
jokes should be done).
A reliable tradition states that when one roars with laughter, one is
submitting oneself to shaitan and a lot of laughing robs one of one's look
of freshness.
Hazrat Ali (a.s.) has stated that one should not make fun of others as it
is understood to be a low type of abuse and it creates more improper
feelings in the other's heart.
A reliable tradition from Imam Moosa Kazim (a.s.) states that joking a
lot makes one lose the light of faith and lessens generosity and
manliness.
In another tradition it is stated that Prophet Yahya (a.s.) used to cry
only - he never smiled. Whereas Prophet Esa (Jesus) (a.s.) used to cry and
laugh as well. In another tradition it is related that Hazrat Dawood (a.s.)
asked his son Hazrat Sulaiman (a.s.) that he should not laugh a lot, for a
lot of laughing makes a man poor on the Day of Judgement.
The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) has stated that for a person aware of hell it
is very difficult to laugh.
According to Imam Ja'far-e-Sadiq (a.s.), people who laugh a lot, just to
while their time or on account of corruption, will have to cry a lot on the
Day of Judgement. There are a few people who cry over their sins and
they will laugh a lot.
All these traditions emphasize that a momin should not always make a
face and be reserved with everyone; on the contrary, a momin should be
broad minded, well-mannered and laugh a little, but he should not laugh
a lot and make fun of others and it is a sigh of a low and degraded
person.

If someone calls your mother black, would you respond to him like Imam Baqir?

An adherent of a revealed religion (kitabi) attacked the Ima`m, was aggressive towards him, and addressed him with bitter words:

 “You are baqar (cow). 

However, the Imam treated him kindly. He smiled at him, saying: 

“No, I am Ba`qir.

The adherent went on attacking the Imam, saying: “You are the son of the cook. 
The Imam smiled at him. This aggression did not excite him. Rather he said to him: 

“That is her job. 

Still the adherent went on attacking the Imam, saying:

You are the son of the black woman…. 

The Ima`m did not become angry. Rather he treated him kindly, saying: 

If you are truthful, may Allah forgive you. If you are a liar, may Allah forgive you. 

Thus, the adherent admired the Ima`m’s high morals that marked the morals of the prophets. Then he became Moslem.

• (A’yan al-Shi’a, 4/Q1/504)

Merits of Ali

Here is a Ṣaḥīḥ (Authentic)[1] ḥadīth from the Messenger of Allāh (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم), where he described the many faḍā’il (merits) of Imām `Alī (عليه السلام).

قال حدثنا أبو جعفر محمد بن علي بن الحسين قال حدثني أبي قال حدثني محمد بن يحيى العطار قال حدثنا أحمد بن محمد بن عيسى عن علي بن الحكم عن هشام بن سالم عن سليمان بن خالد عن أبي عبد الله جعفر بن محمد الصادق عن آبائه ع قال قال رسول الله ص لعلي ع

يا علي أنت مني و أنا منك وليك وليي و وليي ولي الله و عدوك عدوي و عدوي عدو الله يا علي أنا حرب لمن حاربك و سلم لمن سالمك يا علي لك كنز في الجنة و أنت ذو قرنيها يا علي أنت قسيم الجنة و النار لا يدخل الجنة إلا من عرفك و عرفته و لا يدخل النار إلا من أنكرك و أنكرته يا علي أنت و الأئمة من ولدك على الأعراف يوم القيامة تعرف المجرمين بسيماهم و المؤمنين بعلاماتهم يا علي لولاك لم يعرف المؤمنون بعدي

He (al-Mufīd) said: Abū Ja`far, Muḥammad b. `Alī b. al-Ḥussayn[2] has narrated to us. He said: his father[3] has narrated to me. He said: Muḥammad b. Yaḥya al-`Aṭṭār[4] (the perfumer) has narrated to me. He said: Aḥmad b. Muḥammad b. `Īsa[5] has narrated to us from `Alī b. al-Ḥakam[6] from Hishām b. Sālim[7] from Sulaymān b. Khālid[8] from Abī `Abd Allāh, Ja`far b. Muḥammad al-Sādiq (عليه السلام) from his fathers (عليهم السلام) said, the Messenger of Allāh (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) said to `Alī (عليه السلام),

“O `Alī, you are from me, and I am from you. Your friend is my friend, and my friend is the friend of Allāh. Your enemy is my enemy and my enemy is the enemy of Allāh.

O `Alī, I am at war with whoever is at war with you, and I am at peace with whoever is at peace with you.

O `Alī, for you there is a treasure in al-Jannah, and you have both its sides[9].

O `Alī, you are the divider of al-Jannah and the fire (i.e. Hell). No one enters al-Jannah, except whoever recognizes you and you recognize him. No one enters the fire, except whoever denies you and you deny him.

O `Alī, you and the A’immah from your children are upon al-`Arāf on the Day of Judgment, you will recognize the criminals by their marks, and the believers by their signs.

O `Alī, if it was not for you, the believers would not be able to be recognized after me”[10]

---

[1] al-Shāhrūdī says this ḥadīth is Ṣaḥīḥ (Authentic) (See: al-Shāhrūdī, Mustadarakāt `ilm al-Rijāl, vol. 4, pg. 129-130).

[2] Abū Ja`far, Muḥammad b. `Alī b. al-Ḥussayn b. Bābuwayh, commonly known as al-Ṣadūq, isthiqah (trustworthy) according to al-Najāshī (See: al-Najāshī, al-Rijāl, pg. 389, person # 1049), al-Ṭūsī (See: al-Ṭūsī, al-Fihrist, pg. 442, person # 710 & al-Ṭūsī, al-Rijāl, pg. 439, person # 6275), and al-Ḥillī (See: al-Ḥillī, al-Khulāṣah, pg. 147, person # 44).

[3] Abū al-Ḥasan, `Alī b. al-Ḥussayn b. Bābuwayh, father of al-Ṣadūq, is thiqah according to al-Najāshī (See: al-Najāshī, al-Rijāl, pg. 261, person # 684), al-Ṭūsī (See: al-Ṭūsī, al-Fihrist, pg. 273, person # 393 & al-Ṭūsī, al-Rijāl, pg. 432, person # 6191), and al-Ḥillī (See: al-Ḥillī, al-Khulāṣah, pg. 94, person # 20).

[4] Abū Ja`far, Muḥammad b. Yaḥya al-`Aṭṭār (the perfumer) al-Qummī is thiqah according to al-Najāshī (See: al-Najāshī, al-Rijāl, pg. 353, person # 946), and al-Ḥillī (See: al-Ḥillī, al-Khulāṣah, pg. 157, person # 110).

[5] Abū Ja`far, Aḥmad b. Muḥammad b. `Īsa al-Ash`ari al-Qummī is thiqah according to al-Najāshī (See: al-Najāshī, al-Rijāl, pg. 82, person # 198), al-Ṭūsī (See: al-Ṭūsī, al-Fihrist, pg. 60-61, person # 75 & al-Ṭūsī, al-Rijāl, pg. 351, person # 5197), and al-Ḥillī (See: al-Ḥillī, al-Khulāṣah, pg. 13-14, person # 2).

[6] `Alī b. al-Ḥakam al-Kūfī al-Anbārī is thiqah according to al-Ṭūsī (See: al-Ṭūsī, al-Fihrist, pg. 263, person # 376) and al-Ḥillī (See: al-Ḥillī, al-Khulāṣah, pg. 93, person # 14).

[7] Abū al-Ḥakam, Hishām b. Sālim al-Jawālīqī is thiqah according to al-Najāshī (See: al-Najāshī,al-Rijāl, pg. 434, person # 1165) and al-Ḥillī (See: al-Ḥillī, al-Khulāṣah, pg. 179, person # 2).

[8] Abū al-Rabī`, Sulaymān b. Khālid b. Dahqān b. Nāfilah is thiqah according to al-Najāshī (See: al-Najāshī, al-Rijāl, pg. 183, person # 484) and al-Ḥillī (See: al-Ḥillī, al-Khulāṣah, pg. 77, person # 2).

[9] According to al-Ṣadūq, the saying وأنت ذو قرنيها (And you have both its sides) refers to al-Ḥasan and al-Ḥussayn (See: al-Ṣadūq, Ma `ānī al-Akhbār, pg. 206)

[10] al-Mufīd, al-Amālī, Majlis # 24, pg. 213 ḥadīth # 4

Bibliography

al-Ḥillī. al-Khulāṣah al-`Aqwāl. 1st ed. 1 vols. Qum: , Dār al-Dukhā’ir, 1411.

al-Mufīd. al-Amālī. Qum: al-Mu’tamar lil-Shaykh al-Mufīd, 1413.

al-Najāshī. Rijāl. Ed. Musa al-Shabiri al-Zanjani. 5. 1 vols. Qum: Mu’assasah al-Nashr al-Islāmī, 1416.

al-Ṣadūq. , Ma `ānī al-Akhbār. Ed. `Alī Akbar al-Ghaffārī. Qum: Mu’assasah al-Nashr al-Islāmī, 1379.

al-Shahrūdī. Mustadarakāt `ilm al-Rijāl. 1st. 8 vols. Tehran: Ibn al-Mu'alif, 1412.

al-Ṭūsī. al-Fihrist. Najaf: al-Maktabah al-Raḍawiyyah, n.d.

—. al-Rijāl. 1st. Qum: Mu’assasah al-Nashr al-Islāmī, 1415.

Etiquette of Dressing & shoe-wear materials Part 3

For sandals and shoes, the best colour is yellow and next comes white. According to Imam Ali (a.s.) fine shoes keep the body free from germs and diseases. They also help in wazoo (ablution) and Namaz (prayers) as the shoes keep the feet free from dirt. According to Sarraf, when he went before Imam Ja'far-e-Sadiq (a.s.) while having white shoes on the Imam (a.s.) asked him if it was intentional and before Sarraf could answer, the Imam (a.s.) said that any person who buys a white shoe will get money from unknown sources before the shoe gets worn out. Saraf said, that hardly had he started wearing them, when he got hundred gold coins from a place which he could not even dream of.

Etiquette of Dressing & non-permitted materials Part 2

Materials Which are not Permitted to be Worn:

Allama Majlisi; Book Tehzeeb-ul-Islam, second blessing 

Men are not permitted to use pure silk and brocade and are asked to be
careful that their headgear and all those clothings which do not cover the
private parts should not be made of silk. Even certain accessories of
clothing, like borders, frills etc, should only be made of artificial silk, cotton
or any cloth, where silk is one tenth of the other yarn used in the material.
Cloth made of any yarn except silk is preferable.

Non-essential
parts of clothing like handkerchief, shawl etc. can be made of silk.
It is better for children who have not come of age, to be stopped from
wearing pure silk and gold; as according to the tradition of the Holy
Prophet (s.a.w.a.) as narrated by Imam Ali (a.s.), the Prophet had asked
Ali (a.s.) not to wear a golden ring and silk as he would be dressed in silk
in paradise and decorated with gold. Though Ali (a.s.) never used to
wear these but it was an indirect address to the people. Some persons
had asked Imam Ja'far-e-Sadiq (a.s.) whether they could dress their children
in gold. The Imam (a.s.) ordered them to refrain from using gold
themselves and dressing their children (not having come of age) in gold;
only their women and (female) slaves could use it.

Etiquette of Dressing & Wearing Shoes Part 1

Elegant and Proper Clothing:

Allama Majlisi; Book Tehzeeb-ul-Islam, first blessing

A person should clothe himself neatly and decently according to his position
in life; provided, what he wears has been acquired through legitimate
(halal) means; and if he cannot clothe himself properly through legitimate
means, then he should try to be decent within his limits, as recorded
in most of the reliable traditions of Islam. However, acquisition of a
variety of dresses should not be exceeded to an extent as to tempt one
during his prayers. If God has bestowed one with suitable income or increased
it, then one should eat, clothe and spend accordingly, keeping in
view one's fellow brothers; and in case one's income is meagre one
should adjust and keep away from non-legitimate (haram) means of
earning.
It is an acknowledged fact that Imam Ali Al-Reza (a.s.) used to sit on a
mat woven with date-leaves during summer, and on coarse jute cloth in
winter. But when he ventured outside his home he was elegantly dressed
from head to foot to show the world the blessings of Almighty.
It is narrated from Imam Ja'far-e-Sadiq (a.s.) that decency and cleanliness
in one's outfit are highly endearing to God and those who practise
otherwise, displease Almighty. He likes His creatures to be properly
dressed and perfumed and to keep their houses spick and span, and
light then before sunset, so that poverty should disappear and their
sources be increased.
A historical incident reflecting the attitude of the chosen one of God,
Imam Ja'far-e-Sadiq (a.s.) is thus narrated. One of the leaders of the Ascetic
Sufi school of thought tried to belittle and tease the Imam (a.s.) before
the whole congregation while he was seated in Masjid al-Haram, elegantly
attired. He approached the Imam (a.s.) and questioned him why
he was so decently attired when the Holy Prophet and other ancestors of
the Imam (a.s.) never were. The Imam (a.s.) recited the following verse
from the Holy Book;
Say: (O Our Messenger Mohammed) "Who hath prohibited the adornment
(granted) of Allah, which He hath brought forth for His servants
and the good things of the provisions?"
and elaborated that in the days of Prophet there was poverty while at
present there was economic prosperity and as such pious people had a
better right of spending to display the generosity of God. Further, revealing
the clothes he was wearing underneath, he said that the outward attire
is just for the view of the world but underneath he was coarsely
dressed for the sake of his soul.