Letter of Abi Abdillah (a. s) to a group of Shia — Hadith 1

e than a messenger; the messengers have already passed away before him; if then he dies or is killed will you turn back upon your heels? And whoever turns back upon his heels, he will by no means do harm to Allah in the least and Allah will reward the grateful”, and that is something which they knew that Allah (azwj) is to be obeyed and His (azwj) Commands are to be followed during the lifetime of Muhammad (saww), and (as well as) after Allah (azwj) had Made Muhammad (saww) to pass away. And if it was not for anyone from the people who were with Muhammad (saww) that they would take to their own desires, and their opinions, and their analogies in opposition to the orders of Muhammad (saww), so similarly it is not for anyone from the people after Muhammad (saww) that they would take to their own desires, and their opinions, and their analogies’. And he (asws) said: ‘Leave the raising of your hands in the Prayer except for the one time when you open the Prayer, for the people have publicised you all by that, and Allah (azwj) is the Helper, and there is no Might and there is no Power except by Allah (azwj)’. And he (asws) said: ‘Supplicate frequently to Allah (azwj) for Allah (azwj) Loves the ones from the believing servants that they should supplicate to Him (azwj), and Allah (azwj) has Promised the believing servants for the Answering, and Allah (azwj) has Destined the supplications of the Believers, on the Day of Judgement, to increase their deeds by it in the Paradise. <br>So, frequently remember Allah (azwj) in accordance with your abilities in every hour of the hours of the night and the day, for Allah (azwj) has Ordered for frequent Remembrance (Al-Zikr) to Him (azwj), and Allah (azwj) Remembers the one who remembers Him (azwj) from the Believers. And know, that Allah (azwj) never Remembers anyone from His (azwj) believing servant except Remembering him with Goodness. So give Allah (azwj) from yourselves, the struggle in obedience to Him (azwj), for Allah (azwj) does not Accept anything from the good with Him (azwj) except by obedience to Him (azwj), and the avoidance of His (azwj) Prohibitions which Allah (azwj) has Prohibited in the apparent of the Quran and in its hidden. Allah (azwj) Blessed and High has Said in His (azwj) Book, and His (azwj) Words are True: “[6: 120] And abandon open and secret sin”. And know that whatever Allah (azwj) has Ordered you to avoid, so He (azwj) has Prohibited it, and follow the footsteps of the Messenger (saww) of Allah (azwj)