Hadith 83

(The book) ‘Al Kafi’ – From Ali Bin Ibrahim, from Haroun Bin Muslim, from Mas’ada Bin Sadaqa, ‘From Abu Abdullah-asws having said: ‘The Prophet-saww said: ‘‘Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic did not Create a creature except that He-azwj Commanded another one to overcome it, and that Allah-azwj Blessed and Exalted, when He-azwj Created the deeper ocean, it prided itself and moved its waves and said, ‘Which thing can overcome me? ’ He-azwj Created the earth, so it (ocean) surfaced upon its back, and so it became submissive. Then he-asws said; ‘The earth prided itself and said, ‘Which thing can overcome me? ’ He-azwj Created the mountains and Established them as pegs upon its back, so stop it from swaying due to what is upon her. The earth became submissive and stabilised. Then the mountain prided itself over the earth, so it became bigger and taller, and said, ‘Which thing can overcome me? ’ So He-azwj Created the iron which cut it, and the mountain calmed down and became submissive. Then the iron prided itself over the mountain and said, ‘Which thing can overcome me? ’ So He-azwj Created the Fire which melted it, and so the iron became submissive. Then the fire exhaled and gasped (blazed), and prided itself and said, ‘Which thing can overcome me? ’ So He-azwj Created the water which extinguished it, and so it became submissive. Then the water prided itself and overflowed and said, ‘Which thing can overcome me? ’ So He-azwj Created the wind which moved its waves and raised what was in its bottom, and restrained it from its direction, and so the water became submissive. Then the wind prided itself, raged and loosened its tails and said, ‘Which thing can overcome me? ’ So He-azwj Created the human being who built shelters and tricked the wind by veiling himself from it and other, so the wind became humble. Then the human being rebelled and said, ‘Who is stronger than me? ’ So He-azwj Created the death for him, which defeated him, and so the human became submissive. Then the death prided itself so Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic Said: “Do not be proud, for I-azwj will Slaughter you in between the two sects – the people of the Paradise and the people of the Fire, then I-azwj will not Revive you ever, whether you return (repent) or you fear”. And he-asws also said: ‘And the forbearance overcomes the anger, and the mercy overcomes the harshness, and the charity overcomes the sins’. Then Abu Abdullah-asws said: ‘There is more like this where one thing overcomes the other’’. [90]