ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Ain-Al Hayat, The Essence of Life Chapter 7: The Traits, Qasail The First Trait: Pride Over One’s Piety Being proud about ones own piety is a major sin. This pride can make all the prayers and supplications void. If a person understands the Greatness of Allah, then he will not be proud and vain at his exertions at prayer. The endowments of the munificent Allah are so great that it is impossible to count His Blessings.

Imam Musa al-Kadhim (as) says, “O Son! Don’t delay in offering your prayers. Nor should you be over-confident of the acceptance of your prayers and feel proud of your efforts at piety. We cannot offer prayers and obedience to Allah commensurate with His Blessings.” Imam Ar-Ridha’ (as) says that a pious person from Bani Israel offered intense prayers for forty years. Then he offered a sacrifice to Allah that was not accepted. The person was disconsolate with sadness for his failure.

He cursed his psyche blaming it for his failure. He received a Revelation that blaming his psyche and accepting the shortcomings pleased Allah more than the prayers spread over the long period of forty years. For this reason Allah accepted his long years of penance. Imam Muhammad Al-Baqir (as) says that two persons entered the mosque. One was pious and the other a transgressor.

When they emerged from the mosque after the prayer, the transgressor was pious and the person with piety had turned a transgressor. The reason was that the pious person came out of the mosque with pride at his piety and the transgressor was penitent at his past misdeeds. For the benefit of the readers, the translator is digressing here with a tale: One day Prophet Musa (as) was passing through a barren hill. He noticed a pious person busy in prayer sitting in a cave of the hill.

Prophet Musa (as) felt the urge to meet and talk to the person. He went near and greeted him. The pious person asked disinterestedly, “Who are you?” Prophet Musa (as) said, “I am Musa (as)!” The person asked, “Are you the prophet Musa (as)?” Prophet Musa (as) said, “Yes!” The person said, “Then ask Allah to Grant my wish!” Prophet Musa (as) asked, “What is it that you want?” The person said, “Since the last one hundred years I am sitting here praying to Allah.

I don’t do anything other than the Prayer.