Ashburn , US
18-03-2024 |09 Ramaḍān 1445 AH

Action

Description: The Prophet (S) said, ‘Three things follow a person when he dies his family, his wealth and his deeds. Two of those retreat and only one remains his family and wealth retreat and his deeds remain with him.

رسولُ اللّٰهِ‏ِ (صَلَّيَ اللّٰهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): يَتبَعُ المَيِّتَ ثَلاثَةٌ: أهلُه ومالُهُ وعَمَلُهُ ، فيَرجِعُ اثنانِ ويَبقي واحِدٌ ؛ يَرجِعُ أهلُهُ ومالُه ويَبقي عَمَلُهُ.

Reference: ’[Kanz al-’Ummal, no. 42761]

Description: Imam Ali (a.s.) said, ‘I enjoin you with action indeed, then to take it to its completion, then to maintain it regularly, then to persevere in its performance and then to be pious. Verily you have been destined for a great end, so betake yourselves to your destined end.’

الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): العَمَلَ العَمَلَ ، ثُمَّ النِّهايَةَ النِّهايَةَ ، والاستِقامَةَ الاستِقامَةَ ، ثُمَّ الصَّبرَ الصَّبرَ ، والوَرَعَ الوَرَعَ ، إنَّ لَكُم نِهايَةً فَانتَهوا إلي نِهايَتِكُم.

Reference: [Nahjul Balaghah, Sermon 176]

Description: Imam Ali (a.s.) said, ‘He who lags behind as a result of his deeds will not be accorded a front position because of his lineage.’

الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): مَن أبطَأ بِهِ عَمَلُهُ ، لَم يُسرِعْ بِه نَسَبُهُ (حَسَبُه).

Reference: [Nahjul Balaghah, Saying 23]

Description: Imam Ali (a.s.) said, ‘Do not be among those who hope for the Hereafter without acting … admiring the righteous people and yet not acting like them, and despising the sinners whilst he is one of them … he fears for others worse chastisement than what he himself deserves for his sin, and for himself hopes for greater than his actions deserve … When he acts he falls short of the action, and when he is asked something, he exaggerates … so he is presumptuous in his speech though performing little action.’

الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): لا تَكُن مِمَّن يَرجو الآخِرَةَ بِغَيرِ العَمَلِ ... يُحِبُّ الصّالِحينَ ولا يَعمَلُ عَمَلَهُم ، ويُبغِضُ المُذنِبينَ وهُوَ أحَدُهُم ... يَخافُ عَلي غَيرِهِ بِأدني مِن ذَنبِهِ ، ويَرجو لِنَفسِهِ بِأكثَرَ مِن عَمَلِهِ ... يُقَصِّرُ إذا عَمِلَ ، ويُبالِغُ إذا سَألَ ... فهُوَ بِالقَولِ مُدِلٌّ، ومِنَ العَمَلِ مُقِلٌّ!

Reference: [Nahjul Balaghah, Saying 150]

Description: Imam al-Sadiq (a.s.) said, ‘He from whom Allah accepts a single prayer, He will not punish, nor he from whom He accepts a single good deed.

الإمامُ الصّادقُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): مَن قَبِلَ اللّه‏ُ مِنهُ صَلاةً واحِدَةً لَم يُعَذِّبْهُ ، ومَن قَبِلَ مِنهُ حَسَنَهً ... لَم يُعَذِّبْهُ.

Reference: ’[al-Kafi, v. 3, p. 266, no. 11]

Description: Imam al-Sadiq (a.s.) said, ‘If you act but a little, you will enjoy many bounties.’

الإمامُ الصّادقُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): اِعمَلوا قَليلاً تَنَعَّموا كَثيراً.

Reference: [Tanbih al-Khawatir, v. 2, p. 183]

Description: Imam Ali-Naqi (a.s.) said, ‘People transact through wealth in this world and through deeds in the Hereafter.’

الإمامُ الهاديُّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): النّاسُ فِي الدّنيا بِالأموالِ ، وفي الآخِرَةِ بِالأعمالِ.

Reference: [al-Durra al-Bahira, p. 41]

Description: The Prophet (S) said, ‘Just as grapes can never be harvested from thorn bushes, thus can the wrongdoers never come up to the level of the righteous, for they are two distinct paths, whichever one of them you take is where you will arrive.

رسولُ اللّٰهِ‏ِ (صَلَّيَ اللّٰهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): كَما لا يُجتَني مِنَ الشَّوكِ العِنَبُ كَذلكَ لا يَنزِلُ الفُجّارُ مَنازِلَ الأبرارِ ، وهُما طَريقانِ ، فَأيَّهُما أخَذتُم أدرَكتُم إلَيهِ.

Reference: ’[Kanz al-’Ummal, no. 43676]

Description: Imam Ali (a.s.) said, ‘Act continuously, act continuously! For verily Allah has not decreed any end to the believer’s actions except death.’

الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): المُداوَمَةَ المُداوَمَةَ ! فإنَّ اللّه‏َ لَم يَجعَلْ لِعَمَلِ المُؤمِنينَ غايَةً إلّا المَوتَ.

Reference: [Mustadrak al-Wasa’il, v. 1, p. 130, no. 177]

Description: Imam Ali (a.s.) said, ‘The little that you perform continuously is weightier than the great amount that you perform odiously.

الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): قَليلٌ تَدومُ عَلَيهِ ، أرجي مِن كَثيرٍ مَملولٍ مِنهُ.

Reference: ’[Nahjul Balaghah, Saying 278]

Description: Imam al-Baqir (a.s.) said, ‘There is nothing more beloved to Allah than the performance of an action that is maintained regularly, even if it be little.’

الإمامُ الباقرُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): ما مِن شَيءٍ أحَبَّ إلَي اللّه‏ِ مِن عَمَلٍ يُداوَمُ عَلَيهِ ، وإن قَلَّ.

Reference: [al-Kafi, v. 2, p. 82, no. 3]

Description: Imam al-Sadiq (a.s.) said, ‘If a man performs a certain action, he should maintain it regularly for the duration of a year, then he may move on to another act if he wishes, and that is so that the grand Night of Ordainment (laylat al-qadr) is included in his year of performing that particular act, when whatever Allah wills therein happens.’

الإمامُ الصّادق (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): إذا كانَ الرَّجُلُ عَلي عَمَلٍ فَلْيَدُمْ عَلَيهِ سَنَةً ، ثُمَّ يَتَحَوَّلُ عَنهُ إن شاءَ إلي غَيرِهِ ؛ وذلكَ أنَّ لَيلَةَ القَدرِ يَكونُ فيها في عامِهِ ذلكَ ما شاءَ اللّه‏ُ أن يَكونَ.

Reference: [al-Kafi, v. 2, p. 82, no. 1]

Description: The Prophet (S) said, ‘The best of deeds is the most difficult of them.’

رسولُ اللّٰهِ‏ِ (صَلَّيَ اللّٰهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): أفضَلُ الأعمالِ أحمَزُها.

Reference: [Bihar al-Anwar, v. 70, p. 191]

Description: The Prophet (S) said, ‘The best of deeds is that which is most regular, even if be something small.’

رسولُ اللّٰهِ (صَلَّيَ اللّٰهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): أفضَلُ العَمَلِ أدوَمُهُ وإن قَلَّ.

Reference: [Tanbih al-Khawatir, v. 1, p. 63]

Description: The Prophet (S) said, ‘The best of deeds in the sight of Allah is the happiness that you bring to a fellow believer, either by driving away his hunger or by relieving him of his distress.

رسولُ اللّٰهِ (صَلَّيَ اللّٰهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): أحَبُّ الأعمالِ إلَي اللّه‏ِ سُرورٌ (الذي) تُدخِلُهُ عَلَي المُؤمِنِ ، تَطرُدُ عَنهُ جَوعَتَهُ أو تَكشِفُ عَنهُ كُربَتَهُ.

Reference: ’[al-Kafi, v. 2, p. 191, no. 11]

Description: Imam Ali (a.s.) said, ‘The best of deeds is that which you force yourself to do.’

لإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): أفضَلُ الأعمالِ ما أكرَهتَ عَلَيهِ نَفسَكَ .

Reference: [Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 69, no. 20]

Description: Imam Ali (a.s.) said, ‘The best of deeds is adherence to the truth.’

الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): أفضَلُ الأعمالِ لُزومُ الحَقِّ .

Reference: [Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 3322]

Description: Imam al-Sadiq (a.s.), when asked about the best of deeds, replied, ‘Performing the prayer at its prescribed time, being kind to one’s parents and combat in the way of Allah (jihad), Mighty and Exalted.’

الإمامُ الصّادقُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ) ـ لَمّا سُئلَ عَن أفضَلِ الأعمالِ ـ: الصَّلاةُ لِوَقتِها ، وبِرُّ الوالِدَينِ ، والجِهادُ في سَبيلِ اللّه‏ِ عَزَّوجلَّ

Reference: [al-Kafi, v. 2, p. 158, no. 4]

Description: The Prophet (S) said, ‘There are three qualities which if a person does not possess, his action remains incomplete piety which safeguards him from acts of disobedience to Allah, a good nature by means of which he maintains amicable relations with people, and clemency by means of which he retorts the rashness of the ignorant.’

رسولُ اللّٰهِ‏ِ (صَلَّيَ اللّٰهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): ثَلاثٌ مَن لَم تَكُنْ فيهِ لَم يَقُمْ لَهُ عَمَلٌ: وَرَعٌ يَحجُزُهُ عَن مَعاصي اللّه‏ِ عَزَّوجلَّ، وخُلقٌ يُداري بِهِ النّاسَ ، وحِلمٌ يَرُدُّ بِهِ جَهلَ الجاهِلِ.

Reference: [al-Kafi, v. 2, p. 116, no. 1]

Description: The Prophet (S) said, ‘There are three sins to which the company of a good deed is to no avail association of anything with Allah, insolence to one’s parents, and fleeing from the midst of a battle.’

رسولُ اللّٰهِ (صَلَّيَ اللّٰهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): ثَلاثَةٌ لا يَنفَعُ مَعَهُنَّ عَمَلٌ: الشِّركُ بِاللّه‏ِ ، وعُقوقُ الوالِدَينِ ، والفِرارُ مِنَ الزَّحفِ.

Reference: [Kanz al-’Ummal, no. 43824 and 43937]

Description: The Prophet (S) said, ‘He who does not guard his tongue has not performed any good deeds.

رسولُ اللّٰهِ (صَلَّيَ اللّٰهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): ما عَمِلَ مَن لَم يَحفَظْ لِسانَهُ.

Reference: ’[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 77, p. 85]

Description: Imam al-Baqir (a.s.) said, ‘A good deed accompanied by doubt and denial is to no avail.

الإمامُ الباقرُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): لا يَنفَعُ مَعَ الشَّكِّ والجُحودِ عَمَلٌ.

Reference: ’[al-Kafi, v. 2, p. 400, no. 7]

Description: Imam al-Sadiq (a.s.) said, ‘Allah does not accept a good deed from a believer as long as he harbours ill will against a fellow believing brother.

الإمامُ الصّادقُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): لا يَقبَلُ اللّه‏ُ مِن مُؤمِنٍ عَمَلاً وهُوَ مُضمِرٌ عَلي أخيهِ المُؤمِنِ سُوءاً .

Reference: ’[al-Kafi, v. 2, p. 361, no. 8]

Description: Imam Ali (a.s.) said, ‘Be cautious of every deed which the doer is pleased to perform himself but hates Muslims at large to perform it.

الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): اِحذَرْ كُلَّ عَمَلٍ يَرضاهُ صاحِبُهُ لِنَفسِهِ ، ويَكرَهُهُ لِعامَّةِ المُسلِمينَ .

Reference: ’[Sharh Nahjul Balaghah li Ibn Abi al-Hadid, v. 18, p. 41]

Description: Imam Ali (a.s.) said, ‘Be cautious of every deed which is performed in secret but is embarrassing to perform in public.

الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): اِحذَرْ كُلَّ عَمَلٍ يُعمَلُ بِهِ فِي السِّرِّ ، ويُستَحي مِنهُ فِي العَلانِيَةِ.

Reference: ’[Nahjul Balaghah, Letter 69]

Description: Imam Ali (a.s.) said, ‘Beware of any deed whose performance would be denied by its doer if mentioned to him.’

الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): إيّاكَ وكُلَّ عَمَلٍ إذا ذُكِرَ لِصاحِبِهِ أنكَرَهُ.

Reference: [Bihar al-Anwar, v. 71, p. 369, no. 19]

Description: The Prophet (S) said, ‘Verily Allah, most High, loves for you to perfect a good deed when you perform it.’

رسولُ اللّٰهِ‏ِ (صَلَّيَ اللّٰهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): إنَّ اللّه‏َ تَعالي يُحِبُّ إذا عَمِلَ أحَدُكُم عَمَلاً أن يُتقِنَهُ .

Reference: [Kanz al-’Ummal, no. 9128]

Description: Imam al-Sadiq (a.s.) narrated, ‘When Ibrahim, the son of the Prophet (S) passed away, the Prophet (S) saw a gap in his grave, which he filled with his hand, and then said, ‘When any of you performs a good deed, he should perfect it.’

الإمامُ الصّادقُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): لَمّا ماتَ إبراهيمُ ابنُ رَسولِ اللّه‏ِ (صَلَّيَ اللّٰهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ) رَأي النَّبِيُّ (صَلَّيَ اللّٰهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ) في قَبرِهِ خَلَلاً فسَوّاهُ بِيَدِه ِ، ثُمَّ قالَ: إذا عَمِلَ أحَدُكُم عَمَلاً فَلْيُتقِنْ .

Reference: [Wasa’il al-Shi’ah, v. 2, p. 883, no. 1]

Description: The Prophet (S) said, ‘People’s deeds are exposed [to me] every Monday and Thursday. The deeds of one who seeks forgiveness are forgiven to him, and those of the repentant are pardoned, whilst the deeds of those who harbour rancour are returned to them because of their rancour until they repent for them.’

رسولُ اللّٰهِ‏ِ (صَلَّيَ اللّٰهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): تُعرَضُ الأعمالُ يَومَ الاثنَينِ والخَميسِ ، فمِن مُستَغفِرٍ فيُغفَرُ لَهُ ، ومِن تائبٍ فيُتابُ عَلَيهِ، ويُرَدُّ أهلُ الضَّغائنِ بِضَغائنِهِم حَتّي يَتوبوا.

Reference: [al-Targhib wa al-Tarhib, v. 3, p. 458, no. 17]

Description: The Prophet (S) said, ‘Verily your deeds are exposed to me every day, and whatever good I see I ask Allah to increase them for you, and whatever bad I see, I seek forgiveness from Allah for you.’

رسولُ اللّٰهِ (صَلَّيَ اللّٰهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): إنَّ أعمالَكُم تُعرَضُ عَلَيَّ كُلَّ يَومٍ ، فَما كانَ مِن حَسَنٍ استَزَدتُ اللّه‏َ لَكُم ، وما كانَ مِن قَبيح استَغفَرتُ اللّه‏َ لَكُم.

Reference: [al-Faqih, v. 1, p. 191, no. 582]

Description: Imam al-Husayn (a.s.) said, ‘Verily the deeds of this community are exposed to Allah, most High, every single morning.

الإمامُ الحسينُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): إنَّ أعمالَ هذهِ الاُمَّةِ ما مِن صَباحٍ إلّا وتُعرَضُ عَلَي اللّه‏ِ تَعالي.

Reference: ’[‘Uyun Akhbar ar-Ridha, v. 2, p. 44, no. 156]

Description: mam al-Sadiq (a.s.) was asked about Allah’s verse “And say, ‘Go on working, for Allah will see your conduct, and His Apostle and the faithful [as well]” [Qur’an 9:105],, replied, ‘It is us that He means [by the faithful].’

الإمامُ الصّادقُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ) ـ لَمّا سُئلَ عَن قَولِهِ تَعالي: «وَقُلِ اعْمَـلـوا فَسَيَـرَي اللّه‏ُ عَمَلَكُـمْ وَرَسـولُـهُ وَالمُؤمِنونَ» ـ: إيّانا عَني.

Reference: [Bihar al-Anwar, v. 23, p. 337, no. 22]

Description: Imam Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.), when ‘Aabdullah b. Aban said to him, ‘Verily a group of your adherents have asked me to request you to supplicate Allah on their behalf’, replied, ‘By Allah, verily I am the one who presents their deeds to Allah every day.

الإمامُ الرِّضا (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ) ـ وقَد قالَ عَبدُ اللّه‏ِ بنُ أبانَ لَهُ: إنَّ قَوما مِن مَواليكَ سَألوني أن تَدعُوَ اللّه‏َ لَهُم ـ: وَاللّه‏ِ إنّي لَأعرِضُ أعمالَهُم عَلَي اللّه‏ِ في كُلِّ يَومٍ .

Reference: ’[Wasa’il al-Shi’ah, v. 11, p. 392, no. 25]

Description: Imam Ali (a.s.) said, ‘The angel on man’s right [shoulder] records his good deeds, whilst the angel on the left records his evil deeds. The two angels of the day record the servant’s deeds by day, and the two angels of the night record the servant’s deeds by night.

الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): صاحِبُ اليَمينِ يَكتُبُ الحَسَناتِ ، وصاحِبُ الشِّمالِ يَكتُبُ السَّيِّئاتِ ، ومَلَكا النَّهارِ يَكتُبانِ عَمَلَ العَبدِ بِالنَّهارِ ، ومَلَكا اللَّيلِ يَكتُبانِ عَمَلَ العَبدِ فِي اللَّيلِ

Reference: ’[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 5, p. 327, no. 22]

Description:

The Prophet (S) said, ‘Verily when the believer will come out of his grave, his deeds will come to him personified in a good form, and he will address it asking ‘Who are you, for by Allah I see you to be a veracious man indeed!’ to which it will reply, ‘I am your [good] deed’, and it will be a source of light for him and lead him into Paradise. And verily when the disbeliever comes out of his grave, his deeds will come to him personified in an ugly form with an ugly countenance, to which he will ask, ‘Who are you for verily I see you to be an ugly man indeed!’ and it will reply, ‘I am your [evil] deeds’, and it will rush off with him to plunge into the Fire.’

رسولُ اللّٰهِ‏ِ (صَلَّيَ اللّٰهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): إنَّ المُؤمِنَ إذا خَرَجَ مِن قَبرِهِ صُوِّرَ لَهُ عَمَلُهُ في صورَةٍ حَسَنَةٍ ، فيَقولُ لَهُ: ما أنتَ فَوَاللّه‏ِ إنّي لَأراكَ امرَأَ الصِّدقِ ؟ ! فيَقولُ لَهُ: أنا عَمَلُكَ ، فيَكونُ لَهُ [نوراً أو قائداً ] إلَي الجَنَّةِ . وإنَّ الكافِرَ إذا خَرَجَ مِن قَبرِهِ صُوِّرَ لَهُ عَمَلُهُ في صورَةٍ سَيِّئَةٍ ، وبِشارَةٍ سَيِّئَةٍ فيَقولُ: مَن أنتَ فَوَاللّه‏ِ إنّي لَأراكَ امرَأَ السَّوءِ ؟ ! فيَقولُ: أنا عَمَلُكَ ، فيَنطَلِقُ بِهِ حَتّي يَدخُلَ النّارَ .

Reference: [Kanz al-’Ummal, no. 38963]