Traditions from the Lord, the Prophet, and the Wali

Hawzah News Agency- Shaikh al-Saduq narrated from his father (may Allah be pleased with him) who narrated from Ahmad ibn Idris, from Muhammad ibn Ahmad, from Sahl ibn Ziyad, from al-Harith ibn al-Dilhath, the servant of Imam Ridha (pbuh), who said: I heard Imam Ridha (pbuh) saying:

لَا يَكُونُ الْمُؤْمِنُ مُؤْمِناً حَتَّى يَكُونَ فِيهِ ثَلَاثُ خِصَالٍ: سُنَّةٌ مِنْ رَبِّهِ، وَسُنَّةٌ مِنْ نَبِيِّهِ، وَسُنَّةٌ مِنْ وَلِيِّهِ.

فَالسُّنَّةُ مِنْ رَبِّهِ كِتْمَانُ سِرِّهِ، قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: ﴿عَالِمُ الْغَيْبِ فَلَا يُظْهِرُ عَلَى غَيْبِهِ أَحَداً * إِلَّا مَنِ ارْتَضَى مِنْ رَسُولٍ﴾.

وَأَمَّا السُّنَّةُ مِنْ نَبِيِّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ فَمُدَارَاةُ النَّاسِ، فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَمَرَ نَبِيَّهُ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ بِمُدَارَاةِ النَّاسِ فَقَالَ: ﴿خُذِ الْعَفْوَ وَأْمُرْ بِالْعُرْفِ وَأَعْرِضْ عَنِ الْجَاهِلِينَ﴾.

وَأَمَّا السُّنَّةُ مِنْ وَلِيِّهِ فَالصَّبْرُ فِي الْبَأْسَاءِ وَالضَّرَّاءِ، فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يَقُولُ: ﴿وَالصَّابِرِينَ فِي الْبَأْسَاءِ وَالضَّرَّاءِ﴾.

A believer is not a [true] believer until he possesses three characteristics: a tradition from his Lord, a tradition from his Prophet, and a tradition from his Wali (the Imam).

1. The tradition from his Lord is concealing the secret; Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, said: ﴾Allah is the Knower of the Unseen, and He does not reveal His secrets to anyone except to a Messenger with whom He is pleased.﴿ (Al-Jinn:27)

2. As for the tradition from his Prophet (pbuh and his family), it is treating people with gentleness and tact; for indeed, Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, commanded His Prophet (pbuh and his family) to treat people with gentleness, saying: ﴾O Muḥammad, adhere to forgiveness for those who infringe upon your personal rights, bid to good and turn away from the ignorant.﴿ (Al-A'raaf:199)

3. And as for the tradition from his Wali, it is patience in hardship and adversity; for indeed, Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, says: ﴾be among the patient ones in financial stress, physical distress and in the heat of battle.﴿ (Al-Baqara:177)

Al-Khisal,Book 3,Hadith 7