Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Khalid Al-Barqi
Chapter 1: The (Group Of) Threes Continued
Then he (asws) said: ‘O you people! There is neither any good in a Religion in which there is no pondering, nor any good in a leadership in which there is no management, nor any good in a ritual in which there is no piety’.
From him, from the one who mentioned it, said, ‘Abu Abdullah (asws) said: ‘All of the good is in three qualities – in consideration, silence, and speech. So every consideration in which there is no regard, so it is an oversight; and every silence in which there is no thinking, so it is oblivion; and every speech in which there is no remembrance (of Allah (azwj)), so it is a vanity. So the goodness is for the one who has regard in his consideration, and thinking in his silence, and remembrance in his speech, and he weeps over his sins, and the people would be secure from his evil’.10
From him, from Al Hassan Bin Sayf, from his brother Ali, from Suleyman Bin Umar, (It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah (asws), from his (asws) father (asws) having said: ‘The realities of belief are not completed in a servant until he becomes such that there are in him three qualities – pondering in Religion, good measurement in livelihood, and patience upon tribulations/difficulties’.11
From him, from Ibn Fazaal, from Aasim Bin Hamza, (It has been narrated) from Abdullah son of Al-Husayn (asws), from his (asws) mother Fatima Bint Muhammad (asws). She (asws) said: ‘Rasul Allah (saww) said: ‘The one in whom there are three qualities, completes the qualities of Iman (faith) – the one who, when he is happy, his happiness does not include him in falsehood; when he is angry, his anger does not exit him from Truth, and when he has power, he does not take that which is not for him’.12
From him, from Al Nowfaly, from Al Sakuny, (It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah (asws), from his (asws) forefathers (asws) who said: ‘Rasul Allah (saww) said: ‘The one in whom there are not three (qualities), the deed does not stand for him – piety which does not keep him away from disobedience of Allah (azwj); and morals by which the people can be favoured with; and forebearance by which the ignorance of the ignorant is repulsed’.13
From him, from Al Nowfaly, from Sakuny, (It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah (asws) having said: ‘Amir-ul-Mu’mineen (asws) said: ‘Three are from the Gateways of righteousness – One’s generosity, good speech, and patience upon harm’.14
From him, raising it, said, ‘Abu Abdullah (asws) said: ‘If there are three (qualities) within someone, Rasul Allah (saww) would get him married to the Maiden Houries whosesoever he so desires to – control of anger, patience upon the swords for the Sake of Allah (azwj), and a man who comes to forbidden wealth, and avoids it for the Sake of Allah (azwj)’.15
From him, from Musa Bin Al Qasim, from Al Maharby, (It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah (asws) having said: ‘Rasul Allah (saww) said: ‘Three (persons) if you are not persuasive to them, they would be unjust to you – the villain, your wife, and your servant’.
And he (asws) said: ‘Three cannot be reformed from three – an honourable one from an abject/hopeless one, and a forbearing one from a fool, and a righteous one from an immoral one’.16
From him, from Abdul Rahman Bin Hamaad, from Abu Umran Umar Bin Mas’ab, from his father – Hamza Sumaly who said, ‘I heard Abu Abdullah (asws) saying: ‘The servant is in between three (states) – affliction, and pre-determination, and Blessing. So if there is affliction upon him from Allah (azwj), patience is Obligatory; and upon him is pre-determination from Allah (azwj), submission is an Obligation; and upon him is Blessing from Allah (azwj), appreciation is an Obligation’.17
From him, raising it, said, ‘Amir-ul-Mu’mineen (asws) ascended the Pulpit at Al-Kufa, so he (asws) Praised Allah (azwj) and Extolled Him (azwj), then said: ‘O you people! The sins are three!’ Then he (asws) was silent.
So Habat Al-Arny said to him (asws), ‘O Amir-ul-Mu’mineen (asws)! You (asws) said, ‘The sins are three’, then you (asws) were silent’. So he (asws) said to him: ‘I (asws) did not mention it except that I (asws) intended to explain it, but it has been presented to me (asws) in between the speech. Yes, the sins are three – the Forgiveable sins, and the Unforgiveable sins, and the sins which its committer expects that his Master (azwj) (will Forgive) and fears Him (azwj)’.
It was said, ‘O Amir-ul-Mu’mineen (asws)! So explain these to us’. He (asws) said: ‘Yes. As for the Forgiveable sins, so the servant is Punished by Allah (azwj) for these sins in the world, and Allah (azwj) is more Wise and more benevolent that He (azwj) would Punish His (azwj) servant twice.
And as for the Unforgiveable sins, so the servants are unjust to each other. When Allah (azwj) Blessed and High Emerged His (azwj) creatures, Swore a Swear to Himself (azwj). So He (azwj) Said: “By My (azwj) Honour and by My (azwj) Majesty! I (azwj) will not Permit the injustice of the unjust, even though it may be ‘a palm by a palm’, even if (one is) touched by a palm (branch) and the butting between one sheep and the other sheep”.
Therefore Allah (azwj) would Survey for the servants, some from others until there does not remain any one with whom there is an injustice. Then Allah (azwj) would Send them to the Reckoning.
And as for the third (category) of sin – so it is a sin which Allah (azwj) Veils for His (azwj) servant, and Gives him an inclination for repentance. Thus, he becomes humble due to his sin, hopeful to his Lord (azwj). So we are to Him (azwj) just as He (azwj) is to Himself (azwj). We hope to Him (azwj), to Him (azwj) for Mercy, and we fear Him (azwj) for the Punishment’.18
