The Divisions of the Philosophical Sciences (Part Two: Logical Sciences)

Excerpt from al-Ghazali's Deliverance from Error:

Nothing in the logical sciences has anything to do with religion by way of negation and affirmation. On the contrary, they are the study of the methods of proofs, of syllogisms, of the conditions governing the premises of apodeictic demonstration, of how these premises are to be combined, of the requisites for a sound definition, and how the latter is to be drawn up, Knowledge is either a concept, and the way to know it is the definition, or the assent, and the way to know it is the apodeictic demonstration. There is nothing in this which must be rejected. One the contrary, it is the sort of thing mentioned by the mutakallimun and the partisans of reasoning in connection with the proofs they use. The philosophers differ from them only in modes of expression and technical terms and in a greater refinement in definitions and subdivisions. Their manner of discoursing on such things is exemplified by their saying: "if it is certain that every A is B, then it necessarily follows that some B is A"- for instance: if it is certain that every man is an animal, then it follows necessarily that some animal is a man. This they express saying that a universal affirmative proposition is convertible to a particular affirmative proposition.

What has this to do with the important truths of our religion, that it should call for rejection and denial? When it is rejected, the only effect of such a rejection in the minds of logicians is a low opinion of the rejecter's intelligence, and, what is worse, of his religion, which, he claims, rests on such rejection. To be sure, the philosophers themselves are guilty of a kind of injustice in the case of this science of logic. This is that in logic they bring together, for apodeictic demonstration, conditions known to lead undoubtedly to sure and certain knowledge. But when, in metaphysics, they finally come to discuss questions touching on religion, they cannot satisfy those conditions, but rather are extremely slipshod in applying them. Moreover, logic may be studied by one who will think it a fine thing and regard it is very clear. Consequently he will think that the instances of unbelief related of the philosophers are backed up by the demonstrations such as those set forth in logic. Therefore he will rush into unbelief even before reaching the metaphysical sciences. Hence this evil may befall the student of logic.

Your Deeds Are Alone Faithful

In this world you have three companions:

one is faithful, the others are treacherous.

The latter are friends and possessions;

the faithful one is excellence in deeds.

Your wealth won't come with you out of your palace;

your friend will come, but only as far as the grave.

When the day of doom comes to meet you,

your friend will say, "I've come this far, but no farther.

I will stand a while at your grave."

Your deeds alone are faithful: make them your refuge,

for they alone will accompany you into the depths of the tomb.


-- Mathnawi V: 1045-1050

Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski

"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"

Threshold Books, 1996

The Divisions of the Philosophical Sciences (Part One: Mathematical Sciences)

Excerpt from Imam al-Ghazali's Deliverance from Error:

Know that the science of the philosophers, with reference to the aim we have in mind, include six divisions: mathematical, logical, physical, metaphysical, political, and moral.

The mathematical sciences deal with arithmetic, geometry, and astronomy. But nothing in them entails denial or affirmation of religious matters. On the contrary, they concern rigorously demonstrated facts which can in no ways be denied once they are known and understood. From them, however, two evils have been engendered.

One of these is that whoever takes up these mathematical sciences marvels at the fine precision of their details and the clarity of their proofs. Because of that, he forms a high opinion of the philosophers and assumes that all their sciences have the same lucidity and apodeictic solidity as this science of mathematics. Moreover, he will have heard the talk of the town about their unbelief, their negative attitude, and their disdain for the Law. Therefore he ceases to believe out of pure conformism, asserting: "If religion were true, this would not have been unknown to these philosophers, given their precision in this science of mathematics." Thus, when he learns through hearsay of their unbelief and rejection of religion, he concludes that it is right to reject and disavow religion. How many a man have I seen who strayed from the path of truth on this pretext and for no other reason!

One may say to such a man: "A person skilled in one field is not necessarily skilled in every field. Thus a man skilled in jurisprudence and kalaam is not necessarily skilled in medicine, nor is a man who is ignorant of the speculative and rational sciences necessarily ignorant of the science of the syntax. On the contrary, in each field there are men who have reached in it a certain degree of skill and preeminence, although they may be quite stupid and ignorant about other things. What the ancients had to say about mathematical topics was apodeictic, whereas their views on metaphysical questions were conjectural. But this is known only to an experienced man who has made a thorough study of the matter."

When such an argument is urged against one who has become an unbeliever out of mere conformism, he finds it unacceptable. Rather, caprice's sway, vain passion, and love of appearing to be clever prompt him to persist in his high opinion of the philosophers with regard to all their sciences. This, then, is a very serious evil, and because of it one should warn off anyone who would embark upon the study of those mathematical sciences. For even though they do not pertain to the domain of religion, yet, since they are among the primary elements of the philosophers' sciences, the student of mathematics will be insiduously affected by the sinister mischief of the philosophers.

The second evil likely to follow from the study of mathematical sciences derives from the case of an ignorant friend of Islam who supposes that our religion must be championed by the rejection of every science ascribed to the philosophers. So he rejects all their sciences, claiming that they display ignorance and folly in them all. He even denies their statements about eclipses of the sun and the moon and asserts that their views are contrary to the revealed Law. When such an assertion reaches the ears of someone who knows those things through apodeictic demonstration, he does not doubt the validity of his proof, but rather believes that Islam is built on ignorance and the denial of apodeictic demonstration. So he becomes all the more enamored of philosophy and envenomed against Islam. Great indeed is the crime against religion committed by anyone who supposes that Islam is to be championed by the denial of these mathematical sciences. For the revealed Law nowhere undertakes to deny or affirm these sciences, and the latter nowhere address themselves to religious matters.

The saying of Muhammad- God's blessings and peace be upon him!- "The sun and moon are two signs of God Most High: they are not eclipsed for the death or life of any man; so when you see an eclipse, fly in fear to the mention of God Most High," contains nothing demanding the denial of the science of calculation which apprises us of the course of the sun and the moon and their conjunction and their opposition in a specific way. As for his (alleged) saying- Peace be upon him!- "But when God manifests Himself to a thing, it humbles itself before Him," this addition is not found at all in sound tradition. This, then, is the judgment to be made on the character of mathematics and its evil consequences.

Miraj

Excerpt from: The Holy Ascension of the Prophet - 7th Heaven
Taken from: "Muhammad the Messenger of Islam: His Life & Prophecy", by Hajjah Amina Adil

The Holy Prophet continues his account:

"When I reached the Divine Throne, I wished to remove my sandals, but the Throne spoke to me and said, 'Oh Beloved of Allah, step upon me with your blessed sandal, so that I might rub the dust from it on my face, and take pride in the fact that the dust from the Beloved of Allah has fallen upon me.'

Again I tried to remove my sandals, but this time a call came to me from the Divine Person, saying, 'Oh My Beloved, do not remove your sandals so that My Throne might be honoured and blessed with the dust from the soles of your sandals'. I then entreated my Lord, saying, 'When You called the Prophet Musa to come to the mountain of Tur (Sina'i), You ordered him to remove his sandals.' Again this word came to me from the Divine Person, saying, 'In My view, you are more cherished and honoured than he; Musa was My Word (Kalimullah), whereas you are My Beloved (Habibullah). Look ahead and see what you will see!'

I looked and I saw a great sea, so great that there was no end to it, and no shore in sight. On its near side there was a tree, and upon that tree, there was a bird the size of a dove. In its beak this bird bore a piece of clay as big as a lentil. 'Do you know what this is?', I was asked. I answered, 'My Lord knows best'. And He Almighty told me, 'You are forever entreating me to forgive your nation their sins. This sea is the likeness of the Sea of Mercy. That tree signifies the world, the dove-like bird is the likeness of your nation and that bit of clay is the likeness of their sins. Now you have seen the relation of your nation's sins to the vastness of My Mercy, so let your heart be at rest."

The Sunnah is the Second Source of Shari'ah

Taken from: Habib Ahmad Mashhur al-Haddad's, Key to the Garden (Miftah al-Jannah)

The Sunnah is the Second Source of Shari'ah

You have learnt that the Sunna consists of the sayings, acts and acknowledgement of the Messenger of God (may God bless him and his Family, and grant them peace). You should be aware that the Sunna is an unrecited revelation [wahy ghayr matlu]. God has said (Exalted is He!), He does not speak from his own desire; it is only an inspired revelation. [53:3] And He has said, He has sent down upon you the Book and the Wisdom, and taught you that which you did not know. The favour of God upon you has ever been great. [4:113] The "Book" is the Qur'an, and the "Wisdom" [hikma] is the Sunna. They were sent down through revelation [wahy] and inspiration [ilham]. The Qur'an stands distinguished [from the hikma] in that its words were revealed by God in their Arabic form. It is a miracle which humans cannot emulate, for no one can imitate it or compose anything which resembles even the shortest of its Suras: a miracle spanning the ages, protected from changes and interpolations. The Qur'an is possessed of other properties which do not hold good for the Sunna, such as the fact that its mere recitation brings a reward from God, and that it is forbidden to paraphrase it, and that touching or carrying it when in a state of impurity is forbidden. Hadiths, whether Qudsi or not, are not possessed of such properties.

The Sunna is a clarification and explanation of the Qur'an. God has said (Exalted is He!), We have sent the Remembrance down upon you, that you may make clear to mankind that which was sent down to them, in order that they may reflect. [16:44] The Prophet (may God bless him and his Family, and grant them peace) elucidated and explained in detail, in his words, actions, and approval - or otherwise - of other people's acts, what had been set forth in more general terms in the Book. For example, the number of rak'as in each Salat, their times, conditions, and the sunnas; the threshholds of zakat, and on what kind of assets it is payable; similarly the fast, the rites of the Hajj and 'Umra, their foundations, conditions, what invalidates them, and many other things. The Sunna furnishes us with rules which are not mentioned in detail in the Book, concerning transactions, courtesies, moral traits, and virtues which regulate people's lives. These have been handed down from the Prophet (may God bless him and grant him peace), whom God has commanded us to imitate. God has said (Exalted is He!), In the Messenger of God you have a good example, for those who set their hope in God and the Last Day [33:21] and Say: if you love God, follow me and God will love you. [3:31] The obedient bondsman who follows the example of the Greatest Beloved, (may God bless him and his Family, and grant them peace), becomes beloved by God, by virtue of his love of His beloved.

He saw Layla and shunned all others.
A lover who sees beauty only in her
Has won, and gained a great kingdom
if she sees him in the way he sees her.

God the Exalted has said, Obey God and the Messenger. If you turn away, Our Messenger's task is only to convey clearly, [64:12] and Whoever obeys the Messenger has obeyed God, [4:80] and Take whatever the Messenger gives you, and refrain from what he has forbidden you. [59:7] What matters in each of these verses is the generality of the instructions, not the particular occasion on which each of them was revealed; therefore every instruction and prohibition which he gave constitutes a general principle. There are many other verses and many Hadiths in which this is made clear. For instance the Prophet said (may God bless him and his Family, and grant them peace), "The whole of my Umma shall enter the Garden except those who refuse." Upon being asked, "And who are those who refuse, O Messenger of God?" he said, "Those who obey me shall enter the Garden, and those who disobey me shall have refused." And God the Exalted has said, No, by your Lord! They shall not be believers until they make you the judge in their disputes, and then find no annoyance within themselves at what you decide, and submit entirely, [4:65] and Let those who conspire to disobey his orders beware lest a trial afflict them, or a painful torment. [24:63]

In His Book, God the Exalted has commanded that the Sunna of His Prophet be followed. This was made a duty and an obligation, and therefore no faith can be sound without it. To deny that the Sunna is to be followed is kufr, because it is a denial of what has been stated in the Qur'an. This is the reason why the Muslims have taken such great care with Hadith, from the days of the Companions until the present. As already mentioned, these were recorded, and transmitted verbally and in writing, and researched in the most profound manner as regards their memorisation, accuracy, recording, and freedom from flaws. Only those whose faith in the one who brought the Sunna was defective would detract from its value or snub it; by so doing they would set themselves outside the consensus, method and doctrine of the Muslims, and would show themselves to be ignorant of Islam, or its blatant enemies.

Merits of Acquiring Sacred Knowledge

(Imam Nawawi wrote in al-Majmu':) Allah Most High says:

1. “Say, 'Are those who know and those who do not know equal?'” (39:9),
2. “Only the knowledgeable of His slaves fear Allah” (35:28),
3. “Allah raises those of you who believe and those who have been given knowledge whole degrees” (58:11)

The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:

1. “Whoever Allah wishes well, He gives knowledge of religion.”
2. “The superiority of the learned Muslim over the devotee is as my superiority over the least of you.”

Then the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said,

“Allah and His angels, the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth, the very ant in its anthill and the fish bless those who teach people what is good.”

1. “When a human being dies his work come to an end except for three things: ongoing charity, knowledge benefitted from, or a pious son who prays for him.”
2. “A single learned Muslim is harder on the Devil than a thousand worshippers.”
3. “Whoever travels a path seeking knowledge Allah makes easy for him a path to paradise.
   “Angels lower their wings for the seeker of knowledge out of pleasure in what he seeks.
   “Those in the heavens and the earth, and the very fish in the water ask Allah to forgive the person endowed with Sacred Knowledge.
   “The superiority of the learned Muslim over the devotee is like the superiority of the moon over all the stars.
   “The learned are the heirs of the prophets. The prophets have not bequeathed dinar nor dirham, but only left Sacred Knowledge, and whoever takes it has taken an enormous share.”
4. “He who calls other to guidance shall receive the like of the reward of those who follow him without diminishing their own reward in the slightest. And he who calls others to misguidance shall bear the like of the sins of those who follow him without this diminishing their own sins.”
5. “He who goes forth to seek Sacred Knowledge is in the way of Allah until he returns.”
6. “This world and what is in it are accursed except for the remembrance of Allah, that which Allah loves, someone with Sacred Knowledge, or someone learning it.”

'Ali ibn Abi Talib (Allah be well pleased with him) said,

“The religious scholar is greater in reward than the fighter in the way of Allah who fasts the day and prays the night.”

Abu Darda' (Allah be well pleased with him) said,

Teaching Sacred Knowledge for a brief time is better than spending a night in prayer.”

Yahya ibn Abi Kathir said,

“Studying Sacred Knowledge is a prayer.”

Sufyan al-Thawri and Shari'i said,

“There is nothing after what is obligatory that is superior to seeking Sacred Knowledge.”

(Imam Nawawi continued:)

There are similar statements from whole groups of early Muslims I have not mentioned that are like those I have quoted, the upshot of which is that they concur that devoting one's time to Sacred Knowledge is better than devoting it to voluntary fasting or prayer, better than saying “Subhan Allah” (Exalted is Allah above any limitation”), or other supererogatory devotions.

Among the proofs for this, beside the foregoing, is that:

1. the benefit of Sacred Knowledge affects both its possessor and the Muslims, while the above-mentioned supererogatory works are confined to oneself;
2. Sacred Knowledge validates, so other acts of worship require it, though not vice versa;
3. scholars are the heirs of the prophets, while devotees are not categorized as such;
4. the devotee follows the scholars, being led by and imitating him in worship and other acts, obeying him being obligatory and not the other way around;
5. the benefit and effect of Sacred Knowledge remain after its possessor departs, while supererogatory works cease with the death of their doer;
6. knowledge is an attribute of Allah Most High;
7. Sacred Knowledge, meaning the knowledge we are discussing, is a communal obligation, and it is thus better than the supererogatory. The Imam of the Two Sanctuaries (Juwayni) says in his book al-Ghiyathi that “the communal obligations superior to the personal obligation in that the person performing it fulfills the need of the Islamic Nation (Umma) and lifts the obligation from it, while the obligation of the individual is restricted to himself.” And success is through Allah.

- Reliance of the Traveller: The Classic Manual of Islamic Sacred Law Umdat Al-Salik Ahmad Ibn Lulu Ibn Al-Naqib, Translated by: Shaykh Nuh Ha Mim Keller

Teachings of the Prophet to Ali bin abi Talib

Taken from Ibn al-Arabi's The Mysteries of Bearing Witness:

Teachings of the Prophet to Ali bin abi Talib

We were told that Ali bin abi Talib, may God be pleased with him, said, “the Messenger of Allah (swt) advised me:

“Ali! We are giving you advice, so accept it. You will remain in good as long as you follow my advice. Ali, there are three signs of the believer: obligatory prayer, fasting, and alms. The pretender has three signs: he flatters when someone is present, backbites when the person is absent, and curses affliction. The wrongdoer has three signs: he overpowers those under him, disobeys those above him, and abets injustice. The one who shows off has three signs: he is energetic when he is with people, lazy when he is alone, and wants to be praised in all matters. The hypocrite has three signs: when he speaks, he lies; when he promises, he breaks it; and when he is trusted, he betrays. Ali, the lazy person has three signs: he is slow until he neglects, neglects until he loses, and loses until he sins. The intelligent person should be intent only in three things: getting livelihood right, pleasure in what is not unlawful or a step he takes for the Next World.

“Ali, part of certainty is that you do not please anyone by angering God, you do not praise anyone for what God has given him, nor do you censure anyone for what God has given him. Provision is not procured by the greed of someone avaricious nor is it turned aside by the dislike of one who dislikes it. God-glory be to Him and Exalted is He-placed rest and joy in certainty and pleasure in the distribution of God. He placed sorrow and care and displeasure at God’s distribution.

“Ali, there is no poverty worse than ignorance and no wealth more generous than the intellect. There is no isolation more alienating than pride and no support more reliable than consultation. There is no faith like certainty and no scrupulousness like refraining. There is no beauty like beauty of character and no worship like reflection.

“Ali, when someone praises you to your face, say ‘O God, make me better than what they say; forgive me for what they do not know, and do not call me to account for what they say.’ Then you will be safe from whatever they say.

“Ali, when you are performing the obligatory fast, when you end the fast in the evening say, ‘O God, I have fasted for You and I end the fast with Your provision,’ and then the reward of those who fasted that day will be written for you without that decreasing their rewards. Know that every faster has a supplication which is answered. If anyone says with the first morsel he takes when he breaks his fast, ‘In the name of God, the All-Merciful, Ever Merciful. O Vast of forgiveness! Forgive me,’ he will be forgiven. Know that fasting is a veil against the Fire.

“Ali, recite Surah YaSin (chapter 36) often. The recitation of YaSin contains ten blessings. No one who is hungry recites it but he is filled. No one who is thirsty recites it but he is quenched. No one who is naked recites it but he is clothed. No one who is ill recites it but he is healed. No one who is fearful recites it but that he obtains security. No one in prison recites it but that he is released. No one who is unmarried recites it but that he marries. No one traveling recites it but that he is helped on his journey. No one with a lost animal recites it but that the animal is found. No one recites it in the presence of a dying person but that his death is eased for him. No one recites it in the morning but that he will be secure until evening. If someone recites in the evening, he will be secure until morning.

“Ali, recite Chapter The Smoke (Chapter 44) on Friday night and you will be forgiven in the morning.

“Ali, recite the Throne verse after every obligatory prayer and you will be given the hearts of the thankful, the reward of the prophets and the actions of the righteous.

“Ali, recite Chapter The Exile (Chapter 59) and you will b gathered safe from everything on the Day of Resurrection.

“Ali, recite Surah Tabarak (Chapter 67) and the Chapter Prostration (Chapter 32) and it will save you from the terrors of the Day of Resurrection.

“Ali, recite Surah Tabarak when you go to sleep and the punishment of the grave and questioning of Munkir and Nakir will be removed from you.

“Ali, recite Chapter The Sincerity (chapter 112) when you do ablution and you will be addressed on the Day of Resurrection: ‘O praiser of God, rise and enter the Garden!’

“Ali, recite Chapter The Cow (Chapter 2). Its recitation is a blessing and abandoning it will be regret. The vain are not able to do that, meaning sorcerers.

“Ali, do not sit in the sun for a long time. That produces a hidden illness, wears out clothes and changes one’s color.

“Ali, there is security for you from burning in saying, ‘Glory be to You, my Lord, There is no God but You. I have relied on You and You are the Lord of the Immense Throne.’

“Ali, there is security ofr you from Satan’s whispering in reciting. ‘When you recite the Quran, We place an obscuring veil between you and those who do not believe in the Next World… they turn their backs and run away.’ (17:45-46)

“Ali, there is security for you from the evil of everyone who possesses the evil eye in saying, ‘Whatever God wills will be and whatever He does not will will not be. I testify that God has power over all things and that God encompasses all things in knowledge and has numbered everything precisely. There is no power nor strength except by God.’

“Ali, when you see the new moon at the beginning of the month, say ‘God is greater’ three times and then say, ‘Praise belongs to God who created me and created you, and determined you in stages and made you a sign for the world.’ Then God will boast of you to the angels. He says, ‘O my angels, bear witness that I have freed this servant from the Fire.’

“Ali, when you look into a mirror, say, ‘O God, as You made my physique good, make my character good and provide for me.’

“Ali, when you leave the house for something you need, recite the Throne Verse and your need will be fulfilled, God willing.

“Ali, supplicate in the night, even in the amount of time it takes to milk a sheep. Pray to God-glory be to Him!-before dawn and your supplication will not be rejected. God-glory be to Him!-says, ‘Those who seek forgiveness before dawn’ (3:17).

“Ali, wash the dead. Anyone who washes the dead will receive seventy acts of forgiveness. If one act of forgiveness among them were distributed among all creation, it would have embraced them all.” I asked, “Messenger of God, what should someone who washes the dead say?” He (saw) replied, ‘He should say “Your forgiveness, O Merciful,” until he finishes the washing.’

“Ali, beware of argumentation: it cancels actions.

“Ali, hasten to give charity. Affliction does not outstrip charity.

“Ali, you must have good character. By that you will obtain the level of the one who stands in voluntary prayer all night, and fasts in the day.

“Ali, you must recite Chapter The Sincerity (Chapter 112) It wards off poverty. Beware of usury. It obtains six qualities: three in this world and three in the Next World. The three in this world are: hastening exhaustion, removing wealth and wiping out provision. Those in the Next World are: an evil account, the anger of the Lord Almighty, and eternity in the Fire (or isolation-the transmitter is unsure which).

“Ali, when you enter your house, greet the people of the house: there is much good in doing that.

“Ali, love the poor and the wretched and God will love you. Do not rebuff the poor and the wretched so that the angels rebuff you on the Day of Resurrection.

“Ali, do not be angry when you are told to ‘fear God’. That will be evil for you on the Day of Resurrection.

“Ali, God likes His servant to say, ‘O God, forgive me. Only You forgive wrong actions.’ God says, ‘My angels, this servant of Mine knows that none forgives wrong action but Me. Bear witness that I have forgiven him.’

“Ali, beware of lies. Lies blacken the face. A man continues to lie until he is called a liar with God and he continues to tell the truth until he is called truthful with God. Lying shuns faith.

“Ali, do not backbit anyone. Backbiting breaks the obligatory fast. The one who backbites people will eat his flesh on the Day of Resurrection. Ali, beware of scandalmongering. The scandalmongerer will not enter the Garden.

“Ali, do not swear by God, whether you are lying or telling the truth. Ali, do not, by your oaths, ‘make God a pretext’ (2:224). God will not show mercy and not purify anyone who swears by God to a lie.

“Ali, control your tongue and accustom it to good. On the Day of Rising, the servant will not fear anything more than he fears his tongue.

“Ali, woe unto his who lies to make people laugh. Woe to him. Woe to him.”

Ali, peace be upon him, asked, “Messenger of God, tell me about the words of God Almighty which Adam received from his Lord so that He turned to hi (cf 2:37). What are those words?”

The Prophet (saw) “Adam descended (as) in India, Eve in Jiddah, the serpent in Isfahan and Iblis in Baysan. In the Garden there was nothing more beautiful than the serpent and the peacock. The serpent had feet like those of a camel. When Iblis, may God curse him, entered inside of it and tempted and deceived Adam (as) then God Almighty was angry at the snake and removed its legs from it. He said, ‘I will place your provision in the earth and I will make you crawl on your belly. May God not show mercy to the one who shows mercy to you. God was angry at the peacock and scoured its feet because it guided Iblis to the tree.

“Adam remained for a hundred years without lifting his head to heaven, weeping over his error. He sat in sorrow and so God sent Gabriel (as) to him. He said, ‘Peace be upon you, Adam. God, the Almighty and Exalted, sends you peace and says to you, “Did I not create you with My hand and breathe into you of My Spirit? Did not the angels prostrate to you? Did I not marry you to Eve? So what is the reason for weeping?”’

“He replied, ‘Gabriel, what could keep me from weeping when I have left the vicinity of my Lord?’ Gabriel (as) said to him, ‘Adam, speak these words and God Almighty will forgive your wrong action and accept your repentance.’ He asked, ‘What are they?’ He said, ‘Say, “O God, I ask you by the right of Muhammad and the family of Muhammad. Glory be to You, o God and by you Praise. I have done evil and wronged myself. No one forgives wrong actions except You. Show mercy to me. You are the best of those who show mercy. Glory be to You and by you praise. There is no god but You. I have done evil and wronged myself. You are the Ever-Turning, Most Merciful. Glory be to You and by your praise. There is no god but You. I have done evil and wronged myself, so forgive me. You are the best of those who forgive.”’ Those are the words.

“Ali, when you pray at a funeral, say, ‘O God, this is Your servant and the son of Your servant and the son of Your female servant. Your judgment regarding him has occurred. Your created him when he was not a thing remembered and he has alighted with You. Be the best of hosts to him. O God, teach him his proof and join him to his prophet (saw) and support him with the firm statement. He needs You while you have no need of him. He used to testify that there is no god but God, so forgive him and show mercy on him. O God, if he is pure, then purify him. If he erred, then forgive him.’

“Ali, when you pray at a woman’s funeral, say, ‘O God, You created her and You gave her life and Your made her die. You know her mystery and what she makes public. We have come to you to intercede for her, so forgive her, show mercy to us, do not deprive us of her reward and do not tempt us after her.’ If you pray over a child, say, ‘O God, make him a forerunner for his parents. Make him a treasure for them, make him a guide for them, make him a light for them, and make him one who preceded them, and brings his parents into the Garden. Do not deprive them of this reward nor tempt them after him.’

“Ali, when the believing servant reaches the age of forty, God will grant him security from three afflictions: insanity, leprosy and white leprosy. When he reaches sixty years, he is advancing. After sixty he is retreating. God provides him with turning to what he loves. When he reaches seventy, the people of he heavens and the righteous people of the earth love him. When he reaches eighty, his good actions are recorded for him and his evil actions are removed from him. When he reaches ninety, God forgives his former and later wrong actions. When he reaches a hundred, God writes his name for him in the heaven, the captive of God in his earth. He is the prisoner of God Almighty.

“Ali, remember my advice. You are following the truth and the truth is with you.”