When it was morning...

When it was morning, the angel remarked, ،¥This is a pleasant place; no place could be better than this for worshipping God.،¦ Then the devotee-replied, ،¥There is only one defect in this place.،¦ The angel asked what it was and the man replied, ،¥My Lord has no animal.

If He had a donkey, we could pasture it in this place, for the grass is going waste.،¦ The angel remarked, ،¥Your Lord has no donkey?،¦ The man further said, ،¥If He (Allah) had a donkey such a quality of grass would not be wasted.،¦ Then Almighty God revealed to the angel, ،¥My rewards are in relation to a person's reason.،¦ " ،¥Ali ibn Ibrah.m (،X) his father (،X) an-Nawfali (،X) as-Sakuni (،X) Abu ،¥Abdillah (p.b.u.h.) as saying: "The Holy Prophet said, ،¥Whenever you hear about the good act and behaviour (hal) of a man, you should consider the goodness of his reason, since the divine rewards are based upon ones reason.،¦ " Muhammad ibn Yahya (،X) Ahmad ibn Muhammad (،X) Ibn Mahbub (،X) ،¥Abdillah ibn Sinan as saying: "I praised before (Imam) Abu ،¥Abdillah (p.b.u.h.), the reason of a person who was wrought with anxiety about ritual ablutions and prayer.

The Imam remarked, ،¥What reason has he got when he is actually obeying the Devil?،¦ I inquired of the Imam, ،¥How, is he obeying Shaytƒzan (Satan)?،¦ The Imam replied, ،¥Ask him from where this anxiety comes to him.

Surely he will tell you that (it comes) from the work of Shaytƒzan.،¦ " A group of our (al-Kulayni's) associates (،X) Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid (،X) some of his companions (rafa،¥ahu) the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.a.h.p.), saying: "Almighty God has endowed upon mankind nothing better than reason. The slumber of the man of reason is better than the waking hours of the ignorant. Comforts of the stationary life of the man of reason is better than the movement of the ignorant.

God has sent no prophet nor messenger without first perfecting his reason. And his reason stands superior to all the reasons of (the people of) his community. What the Prophet has hidden in his heart is better than all the striving after knowledge of those who strive after it. No creature of God can ever discharge his obligations to God unless he comprehends them consciously.

All the worshippers taken together cannot reach that height of excellence in their devotion to God as the man of reason does. The men of reason who are the possessors of understanding minds about whom God has said, ،¥...