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

re of helping against an oppressed Muslim, for he would supplicate to Allah (azwj) against you and He (azwj) would Answer him regarding you. Our (asws) forefather (saww) the Messenger (saww) of Allah (azwj) used to say that: ‘The supplication of an oppressed Muslims gets Answered’. And help each other, for our (asws) forefather (saww), the Messenger (saww) of Allah (azwj) used to say that: ‘Helping a Muslim is better and greater in Reward than the Fasting for a month, and seclusion (Al-I’tikaaf) in the Masjid Al-Haraam (The Sacred Masjid). And beware of creating difficulties for anyone from your Muslim brothers if he owes you anything from before and he is insolvent, for our (asws) forefather the Messenger (saww) of Allah (azwj) used to say: ‘It is not for a Muslim to make difficulties for a Muslim, and the one who is considerate to the insolvent will be Shaded by Allah (azwj) by a shade on the Day in which there will no shade except for His (azwj) Shade’. And beware, O group under the Mercy and preferred ones over the others, of withholding the Rights of Allah (azwj) before you, day after day and hour after hour, for the one who makes haste in (giving) the Rights of Allah (azwj) which are in front of him, then Allah (azwj) has the Power over the Hastening to him for the multiplication of the good, either immediately or later on. And the one who delays the Rights of Allah (azwj), then Allah (azwj) has the Power over Delaying his sustenance, and the one from whom Allah (azwj) Withholds his sustenance, he would not have the ability to sustain himself. So give to Allah (azwj) the Right from what He (azwj) has Granted you so that He (azwj) would Purify for you the remainder of it, and Complete for you from the Multiplication for you, the excessive Multiplication, the count of which is not known to any but Him (azwj), or its virtues, the Lord (azwj) of the Worlds’. And he (asws) said: ‘Fear Allah (azwj), O group, if you could, and dont be an embarrassment for the Imam (asws), for the one who causes embarrassment for the Imam (asws), he is the one who discredits the righteous people, the ones who follow the Imam (asws) of the Muslims for his (asws) virtues, the patient ones upon the payment of his (asws) rights, the ones who understand his (asws) sanctity. And know, that the one who descends to that level with (respect) the Imam (asws), so he has embarrassed the Imam (asws) (by associating himself with him (asws)) He would do that by cursing the righteous people the ones