" Narrated from Imam al-Saadiq (A) who said...

" Narrated from Imam al-Saadiq (A) who said: "I forbid you from burying your own relatives (even by throwing a handful of earth on the body of the deceased during burial) for this brings about hardheartedness, and he whose heart is hard is distant from his Lord." It is reported that a man complained to the Prophet (S) about his hardheartedness, and the Prophet (S) said to him: "If you wish to see your heart (become) lenient, then feed the poor, and wipe over the head of the orphan." Narrated from Imam Ali (A) who said: "hip of the nobles gives vitality to the hearts." Intention and Conduct Islamic teachings strenuously emphasise on the importance of purifying the hearts as well as the intentions within them.

In this respect Imam Ali (A) states: "He whose intention is good, his conduct would be pleasant." He also states "Good conduct (throughout one's life), is indicative of one's good intentions." Furthermore Imam Ali (A) stresses that there is a direct relationship between the purity of one's heart and the so undness of his thoughts and insight, by saying: "The goodness of the hearts and intentions is evidence for the soundness of visions." Imam al-Saadiq (A) states: "What benefit is to he who presents a pleasant (behaviour) and hides a vile (intention)?

Is it not that if he goes back to himself, he knows that that is not the case? Allah Almighty states: 'Rather, man shall witness against himself, even though he may put forth his excuses.'91 Truly if the intention is valid, the conduct would be justified." The Imam emphasises that one cannot escape from the results and consequences of what he has hidden from others regardless of the passage of time when he says: "No one intends or commits something good unless Allah brings forth (something) good for him (even) after the passage of time, and no one intends or commits something evil unless Allah brings forth (something) bad for him after the passage of time." Jihad of the Self The hardhearted and the ill-intended individual is primed to transgress upon others and therefore non-violence in his conduct is not p ossible without purifying his heart and maintaining that s tatus.

For this reason, Islam devoted considerable attention to planting in the heart of the faithful Muslim all the various virtues, among which are non-transgression upon others' rights and refraining from any kind of violence in the treatment of others.