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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books The Last Luminary and Ways to Delve Into the Light Responsibility 17: Acquiring the Noble Ethical Traits Part 1 The next responsibility is to acquire the noble ethical traits (Makarimul Akhlaq) and a believer must struggle to attain these virtuous qualities.

The noble ethical traits and worthwhile qualities that a Shi’a of Imam al-Zaman (ajtf) must possess are many some of which include: silence, knowledge, forbearance, fellowship with the people, never going to extremes in the faith or in life, and other things. Jabir b. ‘Abdullah al-AnSari said to Imam Muhammad b.

‘Ali al-Baqir (as): يَاابْنَ رَسُولِ اللٌّهِ مَا أَفْضَلُ مَا يَسْتَعْمِلُهُ الْمُؤْمِنُ فِي ذٌلِكَ الزَّمانِ؟ قَالَ حِفْظُ اللِّسَانِ وَ لُزُومُ الْبَيْتِ “O’ son of the Messenger of Allah!

What is the best action for a true believer during that time (the period of occultation)?” The Imam replied: “Protecting one’s tongue (watching what he says) and staying at home (protecting one’s self from corruption).”[^1] The meaning of protecting the tongue is to keep quiet and may refer to using dissimulation (taqiyyah) when necessary; staying at home means that one keeps away from corruption, refrains from sins and acts with caution with the transient world and the over-indulgence of pleasures contained within it.

The narrator of the following tradition asked Imam Ja’far b. Muhammad as-Sadiq (as) for guidance in regards to the best actions during the period of occultation, to which the Imam replied: إِقْرَأْ عَلى مَنْ تَرى أَنَّـهُ يُطِيعُنِي مِنْهُمْ وَ يَأْخُذُ بِقَوْلِي أَلسَّلاَمَ وَ أُوصِيكُمْ بِتَقْوى اللٌّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَ الْوَرَعِ فِي دِيـنِكُمْ وَ الإِجْتِهَادِ لِلٌّهِ وَ صِدْقِ الْحَدِيثِ وَ أَدَاءِ الأَمَانَةِ وَ طُولِ السُّجُودِ وَ حُسْنِ الْجِوَارِ فَبِهٌذَا جَــآءَ مُحَمَّدٌ  أَدُّوا الأَمَانَةَ إِلـى مَنِ ائْتَمَنَكُمْ عَلَيْهَا بَرًّا أَوْ فَاجِراً فَإِنَّ رَسُولَ اللٌّهِ  كَانَ يَأْمُرُ بِأَدَآءِ الْخَيْطِ وَ الْمَخِيطِ “Convey my salutations to the Shi’a whom you know to be obedient to me and who acts upon my words.

I also advise you to maintain consciousness of Allah, the Glorious and Noble, piety in relation to your religion struggle in the way of Allah, truthfulness in speech and giving back a trust (when you have been entrusted with something), prolonging the prostrations and to be a good neighbour since these (are all things) that Muhammad (blessings of Allah be upon him and his family) brought.

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