Four issues are the quickest in punishment...

Four issues are the quickest in punishment: to recompense the favor with mistreatment, to be hostile with one who is not hostile to you; to break the faith of the party who keeps up his faith; and to rupture the relations with the relatives who respect you.” The Prophet (MGB) then added, “O Ali, rest will depart from him who is predominated by discontent.” FOUR THINGS EITHER OF WHICH CAN RUIN A HOME 4-73 Al-Hussein ibn Ahmad ibn Idris - may God be pleased with him - narrated that his father quoted Muhammad ibn Ahmad on the authority of Ahmad ibn al-Hussein ibn Sa’id, on the authority of Al-Hussein ibn al-Hassain, on the authority of Musa ibn al-Qasim al-Bajaly who through a chain of narrators linked it up to Ali (MGB), “There are four things either of which can destroy a home: stealing, treason, drinking alcoholic beverages and committing adultery.” THINGS EACH OF WHICH ARE BASED ON FOUR PILLARS 4-74 (The compiler of the book narrated) that his father - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Sa’ed ibn Abdullah quoted Muhammad ibn al-Hussein ibn Abil Khat’tab and Ahmad ibn al-Hassan ibn Ali ibn Faz’zal, on the authority of Ali ibn Asbat, on the authority of Al-Hassan ibn Zayd, on the authority of Muhammad ibn Salim, on the authority of Sa’ed ibn Tarif, on the authority of Al-Asbaq ibn al-Nobatat that the Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali (MGB) said, “Faith is founded on the following four: perseverance; certitude; justice and struggling in the way of God.

There are four pillars of perseverance: courage, fear, piety, and awaiting. Anyone who is eager for Paradise will not be entrapped in lust. Anyone who fears Hell will abstain from committing forbidden acts. Calamities will be easy to bear for anyone who is pious in this world. Anyone who awaits death will attempt to do good deeds. There are four pillars of certitude: intelligence; foresight; wisdom; preaching lessons; and ways of the people of the past.

One who is intelligent would have foresight. One who is wise would recognize things from which he can learn. One who recognizes things from which he can learn would learn the right approach. One who learns the right approach it is as if he is living with the experiences of the people of the past. There are four pillars for justice: deep understanding, thorough knowledge, good insight and great wisdom. One who understands deeply would explain the knowledge beautifully.