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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Taqwa (Piety) Advice of Friends of Allah (Saints) ============================= In the Holy Quran, the Lord of the universe has considered the pious as the guardians or the friends of Allah.

God says: “And what (excuse) have they that Allah should not chastise them while they hinder (men) from the Sacred Mosque and they are not (fit to be) guardians of it; its guardians are only those who guard (against evil), but most of them do not know.” [^1] In another verse, God says: “Verily on the friends of Allah there is no fear, nor shall they grieve.” [^2] Imam Sadiq (AS) has narrated from the Messenger of Allah (SAW) his saying: “Whoever recognizes Allah and glorifies Him prevents his mouth from (idle) speaking and his stomach from having food and busies himself with fasting and praying.” They said: “May our fathers and mother be sacrificed for you, O Messenger of Allah!

Are they the friends of Allah?” The Holy Prophet (SAW) said: “Be aware that the friends of Allah are silent; their silence is remembrance, their look is meaningful, they speak and their speech is full of wisdom, and they walk and their walk is full of blessing.

If there had not been fixed periods of life for each, their spirits would not have remained in their bodies, because of their eagerness for paradise and fear of chastisement.” Sheikh Baha’iy, in a commentary on this tradition, says: “This tradition includes the important features of the mystics and traits of the friends of Allah.” Then, he sums up these features as the following: 1- Silence which is the gate of salvation 2- Hunger which is the key to all good 3- Busying oneself with fasting and spending the night in worshiping (this is a reference to the worship of the Messenger of Allah, Imam Ali and others) 4- Reflection which is better than the worships of sixty years 5- Remembrance with tongue and the heart 6- Pondering to take lessons 7- Wise speech of knowledge and sciences which contains the good of this world and the hereafter 8- Helping people by fulfilling their deeds, guiding and delivering them from perishment 9- & 10- Fear and hope together, which is the ultimate goal of every perfect man The meaning of the eagerness for reward (paradise) is clear, but the fear of chastisement is to remain in this world and to be exposed to fire because of passions and desires.