استاد محمد تقی مصباح

This paper is a commentary on the advices of Imam Mohammad Baqir (PBUH) to Jabir b. Yazid al-Ju'fi, one of his noble companions, regarding the characteristics of the real Shiites. According to this instruction, the believers should be strong, capable and fulfills his rights and at the same time he must avoid oppression and weakness and do not embrace injustice. Of course, sometimes he can ignore his personal rights and forgive others to awake them up from their wrong path. There are so many examples in this respect throughout the life of the Infallibles (PBUT). Another characteristic of the real Shiites is avoiding betrayal that is discussed in this paper.

This paper is the description of the brilliant word of the Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (P.B.U.H.) regarding the characteristics of the righteous and real Shiites. Some of the other characteristics of believers are humanity and hard work. The believer should not bother people and leave his responsibility on them. The true Shia always try to work hard for the comfort of others. Taking benefit from the divine blessings is legitimate in Islam that cannot be considered as an undesirable tendency. The leaders and managers of the Islamic community have been instructed in the Islamic teachings to use the minimal amount of worldly possessions. Therefore, avoiding the world and all sorts of attachments that reduces the believer's attention to God and the Hereafter is desirable. Taking reasonable benefit from the worldly blessings is desirable and permissible.

This article is an exposition of the commentary on Imam Ali's words about the characteristics of true Shiites. Among these characteristics are: contentment with what is predestined for them, not becoming vicious when angry, vulnerability to individual whims and not being subject to stinginess. Being selfish and stingy which means not sharing what one has with others is the source of many vices. Divine destiny implies that man gains profound knowledge and believes that God is omnipresent and His power is limitless and that nothing can be done without God's will. Therefore, a true Shiite fears no one other than God and never flatters or takes pride in what he possesses. Thus, man’s perfection is an outcome of man’s belief in the Unseen and understanding of the facts about the Unseen. The stronger this belief and more proud this knowledge, the closer to God man will be.