Ayatollah Sayyed Ruhollah Khomeini – Forty Ahadith

603 Pages·2013·7.35 MB·English

Forty Hadith

An Exposition on 40 ahadith narrated through the Prophet [s] and his Ahl al-Bayt [a]

by

Imam Ruhullah al-Musawi al-Khumayni

Translated by:
Mahliqa Qara'i (late) and Ali Quli Qara'i
Published by:
Al-Tawhid
P.O Box 37165-111, Qum
The Islamic Republic of Iran
The original work in Persian, recently published under the title "Arba`in, ya chihil hadith" was written by Imam al-
Khumayni forty-six years ago and was completed in the month of Muharram 1358 (April-May, 1939). The
manuscript of this work, together with that of two other unpublished works of the author, Sharh Du'ae
sahar andAdab al-salat, were recovered from the library of the late Ayatullah Akhund al-Hamadani. All the three
works have now been published.
Contents
First Hadith: On the Tradition of the Forty Ahadith ............................................................................ 11
PURPOSE OF WRITING THE BOOK: ............................................................................................ 12
Verbal Translation: .............................................................................................................................. 12
Exposition: ............................................................................................................................................. 12
First Grade: ........................................................................................................................................... 13
Contemplation The First Step: ............................................................................................................ 14
Will and Resolution: ............................................................................................................................. 15
Effort and Struggle (Spiritual): ........................................................................................................... 16
Self-Examination and Stipulation (musharatah): ............................................................................... 16
Guarding Against Evil (muraqabah): .................................................................................................. 16
Remembrance (tadhakkur): .................................................................................................................. 17
The Second Stage: ................................................................................................................................. 19
Hidden or Inner Powers (Quwwa-e batini): ........................................................................................ 21
How to Regulate Human Instincts: ..................................................................................................... 22
How to Bridle Fancy and Imagination: ............................................................................................... 23
Estimation and appraisal: .................................................................................................................... 24
How to Cure Moral Maladies: ............................................................................................................. 30
Conclusion: ............................................................................................................................................ 32
The Second Hadith: On Riya' .................................................................................................................. 33
Riya' in Faith or Creed: ........................................................................................................................ 34
The Difference Between Knowledge and Belief: ................................................................................ 35
Dangerous Effects of Riya': .................................................................................................................. 36
An Advice for Getting Rid of the Curse of Riya': .............................................................................. 37
Sincerity in Action. ................................................................................................................................ 40
The Second Stage of Riya': ................................................................................................................... 42
The Value of Human Existence as a Trustee of Divine Honour: ...................................................... 44
Riya' in Worship: .................................................................................................................................. 45
How to Combat Riya'? .......................................................................................................................... 46
Riya' in Congregational Prayers:......................................................................................................... 47
How Does Riya' Infiltrate the Ranks of the Congregation? .............................................................. 48
An Invitation to Sincerity: .................................................................................................................... 49
A Tradition of Imam `Ali (A): ............................................................................................................. 53
Variation in Grades and Degrees of Qualities among Different Individuals: ................................. 54
What is Sum'ah ? .................................................................................................................................. 56
Third Hadith: On `Ujb ............................................................................................................................. 57
What is `Ujb? ......................................................................................................................................... 57
The `Ujb of the Faithful: ....................................................................................................................... 58
The `Ujb of the Faithless: ..................................................................................................................... 60
Snares and Wiles of the Devil: ............................................................................................................. 62
The Evil Effects of 'Ujb: ....................................................................................................................... 63
Contempt of Others: ............................................................................................................................. 65
Temptation to Riya': ............................................................................................................................. 65
The Factor of Pride: .............................................................................................................................. 65
Self-Love as the Source of `Ujb: ........................................................................................................... 67
Fourth Hadith: On Kibr ........................................................................................................................... 73
What is Kibr? ......................................................................................................................................... 73
The Kinds and Degrees of Kibr: ........................................................................................................... 74
The Causes of Kibr: ............................................................................................................................... 76
Spiritual and Social Harms of Pride: .................................................................................................. 79
Other Causes of Pride: ......................................................................................................................... 84
How to Cure Pride? .............................................................................................................................. 87
The Punishment in the Hereafter: ....................................................................................................... 89
Humility and Modesty of the Prophet (S): .......................................................................................... 90
To Cure Pride, One Should Act Against Its Dictates: ....................................................................... 91
A Reminiscence of a Teacher: .............................................................................................................. 91
Yaqzah (Awakening) is the First Step: ................................................................................................ 92
The Vicious Subtleties of the Self: ....................................................................................................... 94
Fifth Hadith: On Hasad ............................................................................................................................ 96
Definition of Hasad: .............................................................................................................................. 96
The Kinds of Hasad: ............................................................................................................................. 97
The Causes and Motives of Hasad: ...................................................................................................... 97
Some Evil Effects of Envy: ................................................................................................................... 98
The Punishment of the Grave: ........................................................................................................... 100
The Source of Moral Corruption: ..................................................................................................... 103
The Practical Remedy for Envy: ....................................................................................................... 104
The Tradition Regarding Remission of Envy: ................................................................................. 105
Sixth Hadith: Love of the World ........................................................................................................... 107
Exposition of the Tradition: ............................................................................................................... 107
Mawlana Majlisi on the Reality of the World: ................................................................................. 107
The Author's View: ............................................................................................................................. 108
The Factors that Promote Worldliness: ............................................................................................ 110
Seventh Hadith: On Anger (Ghadab) ................................................................................................... 119
Exposition: ........................................................................................................................................... 119
Advantages of al-Quwwah al-Ghadabiyyah (The Power of Anger): ............................................... 119
The Vice of Immoderation in Anger: ................................................................................................ 121
Moral Hazards of Anger: ................................................................................................................... 124
Its Behavioural Hazards: ................................................................................................................... 124
Controlling Anger: .............................................................................................................................. 125
How to Eradicate the Roots of Anger: .............................................................................................. 127
Eighth Hadith: On `Asabiyyah .............................................................................................................. 130
Exposition: ........................................................................................................................................... 130
The Evils of `asabiyyah: ...................................................................................................................... 131
A Prophetic Tradition: ....................................................................................................................... 133
The Otherworldly Form of `asabiyyah: ............................................................................................. 133
A Colloquy With the Self: .................................................................................................................. 135
On the `asabiyyahs of the Intellectuals: ............................................................................................. 136
Ninth Hadith: On Hypocrisy (Nifaq) .................................................................................................... 138
Exposition: ........................................................................................................................................... 138
Degrees of Nifaq: ................................................................................................................................. 138
Effects of Nifaq: ................................................................................................................................... 140
Cure of the Disease of Nifaq: .............................................................................................................. 141
Some Forms of Nifaq: ......................................................................................................................... 142
Tenth Hadith: On Desire and Hope ...................................................................................................... 148
Exposition: ........................................................................................................................................... 148
1. On the Evil of Following One's Desires: ....................................................................................... 148
(b) The Qur'an and Hadith on the Evil of Submission to Desire: ................................................... 150
(c) On Numerousness of Desires: ....................................................................................................... 154
2. On the Evil of Endless Hopes: ........................................................................................................ 155
(a) On the Endlessness of Hopes: ....................................................................................................... 155
(b) Provisions for the Long Journey Ahead: .................................................................................... 155
Eleventh Hadith: Man's God-seeking Nature ...................................................................................... 159
Exposition: ........................................................................................................................................... 159
1. The Meaning of Fitrah: .................................................................................................................. 160
The Laws of Human Nature: ............................................................................................................. 160
The Innateness of Religious Truths:.................................................................................................. 161
1. Man's Love of Perfection: .............................................................................................................. 162
2. The Innateness of Divine Attributes: ............................................................................................ 165
3. Innateness of-the Belief in Resurrection: ...................................................................................... 166
Twelfth Hadith: on Contemplation (Tafakkur) ................................................................................... 168
Exposition: ........................................................................................................................................... 168
What is Heart? .................................................................................................................................... 169
The Merits of Contemplation: ........................................................................................................... 169
The Desirable and the Forbidden Contemplation on the Divine Essence: .................................... 171
Contemplation on Creation: .............................................................................................................. 175
The Earth and the Sun: Two Masterpieces of Creation .................................................................. 176
Contemplation on the States of the Soul: .......................................................................................... 178
A Conclusive Proof: ............................................................................................................................ 180
Twelfth Hadith (Contd. From the Part 12) ........................................................................................... 182
The Virtues of the Midnight Prayer:................................................................................................. 182
What is Taqwa? ................................................................................................................................... 186
Taqwa for the Common People: ......................................................................................................... 188
Thirteenth Hadith: On Tawakkul ......................................................................................................... 192
Exposition: ........................................................................................................................................... 192
Tawakkul and its Degrees: .................................................................................................................. 193
The Difference Between Tawakkul and Rida: ................................................................................... 196
Tafwid, Tawakkul and Thiqah: ......................................................................................................... 196
Fourteenth Hadith: On the Fear of God ............................................................................................... 199
Exposition: ........................................................................................................................................... 199
Between Hope and Fear: .................................................................................................................... 200
The Stages and Degrees of Fear: ....................................................................................................... 202
Hope and Prayer: ................................................................................................................................ 204
Contemplation, Fear and Hope: ........................................................................................................ 205
The Difference Between Hope and Delusion: ................................................................................... 206
The Opinion of Al-Majlisi: .................................................................................................................. 210
Fifteenth Hadith: On the Believer's Trials and Tribulations .............................................................. 211
Exposition: ........................................................................................................................................... 211
The Meaning of Trial: ........................................................................................................................ 212
The Prophets and Divine Trial: ......................................................................................................... 215
God's Remembrance: ......................................................................................................................... 217
The Prophets' Suffering: .................................................................................................................... 219
The World is Not a Place of Reward or Punishment:...................................................................... 222
Sixteenth Hadith: On Sabr ..................................................................................................................... 225
Exposition: ........................................................................................................................................... 225
Sabr, the Outcome of Freedom from Lust: ....................................................................................... 232
The Results of Sabr: ............................................................................................................................ 234
The Degrees and Levels of Sabr: ........................................................................................................ 237
The `Urafa's Degrees of Sabr: ............................................................................................................ 239
Seventeenth Hadith: On Tawbah .......................................................................................................... 242
Exposition: ........................................................................................................................................... 242
Tawbah and Postponement: ............................................................................................................... 243
An Important Point: ........................................................................................................................... 244
The Essentials of Tawbah: .................................................................................................................. 245
The conditions of Tawbah: ................................................................................................................. 247
The Result of Istighfar: ....................................................................................................................... 251
On the Interpretation of Tawbah Nasuh: .......................................................................................... 252
All Beings are Endowed with Life and Knowledge: ........................................................................ 253
Eighteenth Hadith: On Remembrance of God ..................................................................................... 255
Exposition: ........................................................................................................................................... 255
The Difference between Tafakkur and Tadhakkur: ......................................................................... 259
The Complete Dhikr: .......................................................................................................................... 260
Some Traditions Concerning Dhikr: ................................................................................................. 262
Nineteenth Hadith: On Ghibah ............................................................................................................. 265
Exposition ............................................................................................................................................ 265
The Definition of Ghibah: ................................................................................................................... 267
The Social Harms of Ghibah: ............................................................................................................. 276
On the Cure of this Malady: .............................................................................................................. 279
The Priority of Abstinence from Permissible Ghibah: .................................................................... 281
On the Prohibition on Listening to Ghibah: ..................................................................................... 282
Conclusion: al-Shahid al-Thani's Discourse: .................................................................................... 285
Twentieth Hadith: On Ikhlas ................................................................................................................. 288
Exposition: ........................................................................................................................................... 288
The Meaning of `Test' in Relation to God: ....................................................................................... 289
Fear, Sincere Intention and Rightness of Action: ............................................................................ 291
The Definition of Ikhlas: ..................................................................................................................... 295
Ikhlas is Subsequent to Action: .......................................................................................................... 297
Twenty First Hadith: On Shukr ............................................................................................................ 302
Exposition: ........................................................................................................................................... 302
A Mystical Interpretation: ................................................................................................................. 308
Ignorance and Ingratitude: ................................................................................................................ 313
The Different Levels of Shukr: ........................................................................................................... 314
The Station of Shukr in Hadith: ........................................................................................................ 315
Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................... 318
Twenty Second Hadith: On the Aversion for Death ............................................................................ 322
Exposition: ........................................................................................................................................... 323
The Reality of Heaven and Hell: ........................................................................................................ 326
Twenty Third Hadith: Of the Seekers of Knowledge .......................................................................... 330
Exposition: ........................................................................................................................................... 331
Section 1: .............................................................................................................................................. 334
Section II: ............................................................................................................................................. 338
Section III: ........................................................................................................................................... 341
Section IV: ........................................................................................................................................... 344
Twenty Fourth Hadith: On the Classification of Sciences .................................................................. 346
Exposition: ........................................................................................................................................... 346
Section I: .............................................................................................................................................. 347
Section II: ............................................................................................................................................. 351
Section III: ........................................................................................................................................... 353
Section IV: ........................................................................................................................................... 356
Section V: ............................................................................................................................................. 357
Twenty Fifth Hadith: On Waswas ......................................................................................................... 359
Exposition: ........................................................................................................................................... 359
2. A Simpler Explanation of the Character of Waswas: .................................................................. 361
3. The Remedy for Waswas: ............................................................................................................... 366
Twenty Sixth Hadith: On the Pursuit of Knowledge ........................................................................... 369
Exposition: ........................................................................................................................................... 369
1. Section: Concerning the Path of Knowledge and the Way to Paradise: .................................... 370
An Important Point: ........................................................................................................................... 371
2. Section: Concerning the Angels' Spreading their Wings for the Seekers of Knowledge: ........ 372
4. Section: The `Alim's Superiority over the `Abid: ......................................................................... 377
5. Section: On the `Ulama' Being the Heirs of the Prophets: .......................................................... 381
Twenty Seventh Hadith: Prayer and Concentration ........................................................................... 382
Exposition: ........................................................................................................................................... 382
1. The Significance of Prayer: ............................................................................................................ 383
2. The Various Levels of Concentration: .......................................................................................... 390
Attention to Worship: ......................................................................................................................... 391
Attention to the Worshipped One: .................................................................................................... 392
3. The Incarnation of Works in the Hereafter: ................................................................................ 395
4. Worship and Freedom from Need: ................................................................................................ 404
A Last Point: ........................................................................................................................................ 407
Twenty Eighth Hadith: On Liqa' Allah ................................................................................................ 408
Exposition: ........................................................................................................................................... 408
1. Liqa' Allah and Its Character: ....................................................................................................... 410
2. Death-The Moment of Truth: ........................................................................................................ 416
3. The Significance of `Love' and `Hate' when Ascribed to God: ................................................... 423
Twenty Ninth Hadith: The Prophet's Counsel to 'Ali ......................................................................... 425
1. The Evils of Lying: .......................................................................................................................... 428
2. The Meaning of Wara` and Its Levels: .......................................................................................... 432
Complement: The Evils of Treachery and the Meaning of Trustworthiness: ............................... 434
Concerning Some Divine Trusts: ....................................................................................................... 439
3. On the Fear of God Almighty: ....................................................................................................... 441
The Disparity of People in Observing the Divine Presence: ........................................................... 443
On the Virtues of Lamentation: ......................................................................................................... 444
Concerning Doubts Regarding Disproportionate Award: .............................................................. 445
Twenty Ninth Hadith: The Prophet's Counsel to `Ali (Contd.) .......................................................... 448
On Raising the Hands in Prayer and Turning Them: ..................................................................... 448
The Secret Behind the Raising of the Hands: ................................................................................... 449
A Warning Concerning one of the Satanic Ruses: ........................................................................... 451
On the Merit of Brushing the Teeth: ................................................................................................. 452
Thirtieth Hadith: The Indescribability of God, the Prophet, and the Imams ................................... 460
Section: On the Indescribability of God: .......................................................................................... 462
Section: On the Waiting of `the Seven Hijabs' Mentioned in Relation to the Prophet: ............... 468
Concerning a Brief Allusion to the Meaning of Tafwid: .................................................................. 473
Section: Concerning the Station of the Imams, may peace be upon Them: .................................. 474
On the Reality of 'Ismah: ................................................................................................................... 476
Concerning the Indescribability of Faith: ........................................................................................ 478
Thirty First Hadith: The Kinds of Hearts ............................................................................................ 480
Exposition: ........................................................................................................................................... 480
Preface: On Reforming the Heart: .................................................................................................... 481
Section: The Basis for the Classification of the Hearts: .................................................................. 482
The Reason why the Kinds of Hearts are Confined to the Four: ................................................... 484
Section: Concerning the States of the Hearts: .................................................................................. 484
Concerning the Luminosity of the Believer's Heart: ....................................................................... 485
Concerning Some Stratagems of Satan: ............................................................................................ 487
Complimentary Note: The Hypocrite's Heart and the Difference Between it and the Believer's
Heart: ................................................................................................................................................... 490
Conclusion: Neglect of the Truth Results in the Inversion of the Heart: ....................................... 491
Thirty Second Hadith: On Conviction in Faith .................................................................................... 493
Exposition: ........................................................................................................................................... 493
Reconciling Traditions Concerning Livelihood being Apportioned and Traditions Exhorting
Effort: ................................................................................................................................................... 495
Section: On the Signs or Soundness or Conviction: ......................................................................... 496
The Twofold Classes of the People: ................................................................................................... 497
Section: The Views of the Mu'tazilah and the Asha`irah and the Correct Position: ..................... 498
Section: ................................................................................................................................................. 499
Thirty Third Hadith Wilayah and Works ............................................................................................ 501
Exposition: ........................................................................................................................................... 501
Section: On Explanation of Absence of Contradiction between Traditions that Exhort one to
Perform ................................................................................................................................................ 502
`Ibadah and Abstain from Sins and other Traditions which Apparently Conflict with Them: ... 502
Section: Wilayah of the Ahl al-Bayt, the Condition for Acceptability of Works: .......................... 513
Thirty Fourth Hadith: The Station of the Faithful Before God ......................................................... 516
Exposition: ........................................................................................................................................... 517
A Noteworthy Point: ........................................................................................................................... 520
Section: Concerning Interpretation of the 'Hesitation' Ascribed to God: ..................................... 520
An `Irfani Explanation: ...................................................................................................................... 521
A Complementary Note on Another interpretation of the Tradition of Hesitation: .................... 524
Section: Concerning God's Reforming of the State of the Faithful through Poverty and Wealth:
.............................................................................................................................................................. 525
Section: Concerning the Nearness relating to Obligatory and Supererogatory Acts and their
Result, in accordance with the Approach of the Wayfarers: .......................................................... 526
The Secret of the Variance Among the Prophets in Respect of Prophethood: .............................. 530
Section: A Citation from the Most August Shaykh Baha'i: ............................................................ 531
Section: A Citation from Khwajah Tusi: .......................................................................................... 532
Concluding Note: ................................................................................................................................ 532
Thirty Fifth Hadith: Of God and Man, Good and Evil ....................................................................... 534
Exposition: ........................................................................................................................................... 534
Section: Two Stations of Divine Names: ........................................................................................... 535
Section: An Allusion to the Topic of Jabr and Tafwid: .................................................................... 537
Section: Concerning that God, the Exalted, is not Answerable Concerning what He does and
other Existents are Answerable: ........................................................................................................ 540
Thirty Sixth Hadith: On the Attributes of God ................................................................................... 542
Exposition: ........................................................................................................................................... 542
Section: Concerning the Identity of God's Attributes with His Essence: ...................................... 543
The Statements of the Philosophers on the Division of Divine Attributes: .................................... 545
On the Identity of the Attributes with the Sacred Essence: ............................................................ 546
Section: On the Priority of Knowledge to Creation: ........................................................................ 547
Section: On the Meaning of Hearing and Sight in Relation to God: .............................................. 550
Section: Character of the Relation of God's Knowledge to the Knowables: ................................. 552
Section: The Criterion Relating to Positive and Negative Attributes: ........................................... 554