Ethics and Spirituality

Prayer is a bridge to nearness to God, and presence of heart is the key to receiving its blessings. By setting aside worldly distractions and turning our attention to God’s greatness, we can draw closer to Him and experience the delight of intimate communion. The takbīr that opens the prayer should be spoken with a heart that recognises God’s greatness and sees all creation as insignificant before Him.

Satan’s influence is no less present in one part of the prayer than in another; there is no difference between reciting al-Fātiḥa and the other surah, and saying the tasbīḥāt. Presence of heart in prayer depends on a person’s longing to connect with God: the stronger that longing becomes, the more fully the heart and tongue will be present before Him. Love of worship, which grows from knowledge, brings the heart into prayer; the heart should lead the body and its limbs.

Sincerity in action means directing one’s worship exclusively to the One worshipped; a lack of sincerity amounts to deceit and hypocrisy. A servant is paid by the master he serves, and insincere worship is like seeking a reward from someone one has not served. Sincerity comes from clear knowledge: when we recognize that God alone is sufficient for us, we do not turn to anyone else.

Satan’s role is like that of a teacher who, through temptation, reveals a person’s strengths and weaknesses, giving them a chance to work on themselves. But this does not mean befriending Satan; it means avoiding what is corrupt, just as we keep away from wine. Satan is God’s enemy, and his aim is to spread ignorance, not to lead people to perfection.

To strengthen your perseverance, avoid talking about things before they are firmly established and you are fully prepared; doing so can undermine them and drain the energy needed to see them through. Every undertaking succeeds only when God’s laws and ways are observed. Protect it as you would a child in the womb.

Arrogance and self-importance take root in a failure to know ourselves and a love of the world. We can overcome them by striving to recognise our own weaknesses and insignificance, reflecting on the greatness of our Lord, and performing the prayer with love. Purifying the heart of attachment to the world and material things leads to humility and reverence.

The sincere stand in opposition to Iblis, and Satan has no power to deceive them. Those who accuse the sincere of befriending Satan are themselves acting satanically. Perfect friendship with God tames Satan, just as wild animals are tamed.

Defending hijab by explaining that it is God’s command and that valuable things are kept covered is a beautiful way to offer guidance and an honorable defense of the duty to enjoin what is right. What you said is praiseworthy; it places the proud medal of enjoining what is right around your neck.

Helping a sick classmate is a kind and God-pleasing act, even without the school principal’s permission. The principal should not prevent anyone from doing good. What you did is praiseworthy—and it would bring even greater reward if done quietly.

In the hadith of Imam al-Sadiq (AS), avoiding “evil deeds” is said to lengthen one’s life. These include major sins such as lying, backbiting, slander, foul language, immodest dress, short-changing customers, extravagance, and disrespect. They also include neglecting religious duties such as prayer, khums, and zakat, as well as failing to enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong.

Enjoining what is right and discouraging what is wrong in a kind yet firm manner is a form of striving in God’s cause. It brings joy to God and His saints, and places the family under divine care. What you did is commendable, and helps safeguard your family’s well-being and secure God’s special grace.

Using school supplies that are still in good condition and useful is not wasteful. Wastefulness means throwing away or misusing things that still have value and purpose. By using last year’s supplies, you did the right thing—and it is pleasing to God.

Girls who wear hijab for the sake of God and listen to His words will receive a great reward in Paradise. They will be companions of Lady Fatima (SA), brighter than red rubies and precious as jewels. Paradise will be spread beneath their feet, every wish that crosses their hearts will come true, and they will receive special blessings from God.

Those who have drifted away from religion are encouraged to remember death often, as the thought of death can inspire worship and devotion. Supplication 5 of al-Sahifa al-Sajjadiyya is also recommended for this sensitive stage.

A man’s protective jealousy toward his wife is a feeling unique to men; women do not experience it in the same way. A woman’s concern when her husband behaves in ways contrary to religion or commits sins is of greater worth than protective jealousy: it springs from love of God. For a woman, enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong is both obligatory and commendable. By urging her husband to lower his gaze, she is defending God’s boundaries and striving to keep him from moral impurity.

Suggesting that we befriend Satan opens the way to enmity with God, for Satan is humanity’s avowed enemy and has sworn to lead us to ruin. Placing any trust in him is foolish and misguided. Those who make such suggestions are ignorant people who have become Satan’s servants.

The most effective way to overcome anger is through remembrance of God, for forgetting God is the main cause of anger. Anger is a force that can be a source of good when governed by reason. To strengthen our remembrance of God, we must cultivate piety through reason and continually seek refuge in God.

Tears are a sign of love and affection, and a mark of the heart’s connection with the beloved. They express our feelings and become a spur to action, opening the way to a deeper connection with the beloved and to inner transformation. But tears are not the end or ultimate aim of love; they are a means of reaching the heights of spiritual wayfaring and the path to the appointed meeting sought by those who yearn for communion with God.

Enjoining good is different from the obligation to pray: a person who sins must still pray, even if they do not practise what they preach. Although enjoining good is obligatory, the one who calls others to it must also address themselves and be resolved to practise it. Otherwise, their conduct is blameworthy. The finest form of enjoining good comes from someone who practises it.

The worldly benefits of prayer include drawing near to God, communicating with the One we worship, overcoming heedlessness, finding peace, receiving sustenance and blessings, growing in love, having prayers answered, keeping Satan at a distance, strengthening faith, and purifying the heart. Its benefit in the Hereafter is that it serves as the measure by which deeds are weighed. Distracting thoughts during prayer arise from a lack of understanding, love, and detachment from worldly things. Through humility, avoiding sin, and practising servitude to God, one can come to taste the sweetness of worship.