ABU-DHARR AL-GHIFARI

"These pages are of the advice of the Messenger of Allah (s) that he gave to Abu Dharr al Giffari." (Then he gives the whole chain of narrators tracing it from Sheikh Mufeed and Sheikh Abu Ja'far Muhammad bin Hasan Babweih up to Abu al Aswad.)

Abu al Aswad said, "I had arrived at al Rabdha and I met Abu Dharr Jundib son of Janada (a) and he narrated to me."

"I entered one day in the midday in the presence of the Messenger of Allah (s) in his masjid. I didn't see anyone at all in the masjid except the Messenger of Allah (s) and Ali (s) who was sitting by his side, so I took the opportunity of the emptiness of the masjid (to approach the Prophet (s) )." I said, " Oh RasulAllah (s) , by my father and mother, please advise me with such advice that Allah will benefit me by it." So he said, "Yes, and how noble you are, Oh, Abu Dharr! Most surely You are from us, the Ahl Al Bait (a), and I am giving You advise so remember it, for surely it is the collection of (all) the paths of goodness. Surely if You memorize them and put them into practice (hafiztaha), You will have by it 'Kiflan'." (Two folds of mercy, in this world and the hereafter).

 

Oh, Abu Dharr! "Worship Allah as if You see Him and if You weren't seeing Him surely He sees You. Know You that the first of worship of Allah is (Ma'rifa) gnosis, for He is surely the first before every other thing, so there is nothing before Him, The singlemost without any second, the continuing but not to an end. He is the Creator of the heavens and earth and whatever is in them and between them and He is the Subtle, the Aware, and He has power over all things; then (the second most important factor in the worship of God is) belief in me and acknowledgment that Allah sent me to all of humanity as a bearer of glad tidings, a warner, a caller (of people) to Allah by His permission and a illuminating torch of light; Then (the third most important factor in God's worship is) the love of the people of my house, Those from whom Allah has removed (from them) every impurity and purified them a perfect purification.(33:33)